33,000 poorest fishermen to get livelihood assistance

MANILA, Philippines - More than 33,000 fisherfolk identified as among the country’s poorest families in the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction survey will get livelihood assistance from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said yesterday.

The Targeted Actions to Reduce Poverty and General Economic Transformation (TARGET) program of BFAR aims to provide poor fisherfolk with fishing boats, motor engines, aquaculture input and farm implements.

The implementation of TARGET is in line with President Aquino’s social agenda of poverty alleviation and inclusive growth in sectors with high poverty incidence, DSWD Secretary Corazon ”Dinky” Soliman said.

Statistics shows that poverty incidence is highest among the fisherfolk at 39.9 percent. This means four out of 10 fishermen are poor.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said improving the lives of the 33,000 poor fisherfolk would reduce poverty incidence in the sector by at least four percent.