30 Badjao folks in Bicol receive cash aid; to get motorboats, fishing tools — Co

Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co (center) gives a certificate to a Badjao fisherman for the grant of a motorized boat and other essential fishing equipment during the National Irrigation Administration AI Congress in Legazpi City, Albay, on Friday, June 30, 2023. Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda (right) is also present during the event. Photo from the Office of Rep. Co courtesy of Ako Bicol Party-list

MANILA, Philippines — Thirty Badjao fisherfolks and their families in Bicol region have received cash aid, motorboats, and fishing-related tools from the government to help boost and sustain their livelihoods, according to Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co.

Co, who led the distribution of the assistance, said that the project under the National Irrigation Administration IA Congress and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), aims “to promote economic self-sufficiency, poverty alleviation, and sustainable resource management among the Badjao fisherfolks.”

“Ang tulong na ito ay hindi lamang magbibigay sa kanila ng hanapbuhay ngunit magdudulot din ito sa pangkalahatang paglago ng ekonomiya at kagalingan ng Badjao community,” Co said in a statement issued on Sunday.

(This assistance will provide them with employment and lead to the overall economic growth and well-being of the Badjao community.)

The lawmaker noted that the motorboats would help the recipients expand their fishing range and activities with the help of the pieces of equipment, which include nets, lines, hooks, and other vital accessories.

Aside from these, Co said that the Badjao beneficiaries and their families already received P15,000 each during a ceremony conducted by the National Irrigation Administration IA Congress and BFAR ast Friday, June 30.

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