BFAR nat’l fisherfolk director hails from Davao

DAVAO CITY ,  May 03 (PIA):  This year’s national fisherfolk director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) comes from  the Davao Region.

Fisherfisherfolk leader Natividad  C. Gunayan, 62 years of age, resident of Nasa Village, Poblacion Lupon in  Davao Oriental has been chosen to take the place of BFAR national Director Atty.  Asis G.  Perez, for one month.

This is in line with the observance of the month of May as  the “Farmers and Fisherfolks Month.”

BFAR XI Regional Director Fatma Idris Tuesday revealed Gunayan as the second woman fisherfolk leader chosen by colleagues to  sit as the national fisherfolk director.

“This shows that we are empowering women to take hold of positions usually held by men,” she said.

In a separate interview,  Gunayan looked at her present position as an opportunity to  push forward the welfare of fisherfolks as well as to find ways to assist women on fishing,  to  find alternative livelihood.

“Gibati nako nga dako ko ug kaakuhan o responsibilidad nga mapalambo  ang panginabuhi sa mga mangingisda. (I feel that I bear great responsibility to improve the lives of my fellow fisherfolks.),”  she said.

In her one-month stint as the national fisherfolk director of BFAR, Gunayan lines up a three-pronged agenda geared towards addressing coastal environment issues,  poverty situation of  fisherfolks and  strengthening BFAR in general.

On top of her agenda is to  drum up calls to elevate BFAR into a department  as the “Philippines is the only country in Asia where a government agency on fisheries is a bureau only.”

As such campaign has been there since 2005, the fisherfolk sector will be bringing  a position paper on the conversion of BFAR into a  Department of Fisheries  to the Senate, and that it is eyeing the support of senators Aquilino Martin “Koko” Pimentel and Antonio Trillanes IV.

Under her stewardship as the national fisheries director, the fisherfolk sector will also be working for the inclusion of the fisherfolks as beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“Daghang mga fisherfolks ang wala naapil sa lista sa mga  makadawat sa 4Ps.  (There are a number of fisherfolks who have not  been included as recipients of 4Ps.),”  she said.

Along this line, she noted that some have yet to fully grasp the meaning of fisherfolks which, she said, refers not only to those catching fish but also to any man and woman involved in the small fishing industry such as fish vendors and fish processors.

During her term, she will also be pushing for intensive coastal protection through massive planting of mangroves. 

This runs in line with the thrust of BFAR which is granting an incentive to fisherfolks who would want to actively engage in mangrove planting by giving them P3 for each planted mangrove propagule  and additional P2 for each grown mangrove.

Meanwhile,  Gunayan has also seen the need to assist fisherfolk women  in search  of alternative livelihood to support their espouses.

 “May mga training na  sila pero wala silang puhunan. (They already have undergone training but they don’t have the capital)”  she said.

She also would want women to learn “the values” to sustain their venture, and to stick with their groups’  desire to collectively prosper.

“Di  man pwede pa-isa isa lang ang molambo, kay para man kini sa tanan.  (Their progress has to collective not individualistic.),”  she said referring to  government assistance which is usually granted to groups of beneficiaries.  (PIA-11/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)