DA to give P25k loan assistance to fishermen in Recto Bank incident

The Department of Agriculture (DA)  said Wednesday it will extend loan assistance to each of the 22 fishermen whose boat was hit by a Chinese fishing vessel in Recto Bank on June 9.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the DA, through its Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), will release P25,000 for each of the 22 fishermen under the Survival Response (SURE) Loan Program to "help them recover from their losses after the unfortunate incident."

“Magpapa-release ako ng P25,000 per family dun sa aming SURE loaning program para may pang-gastos sila for the meantime,” Piñol said.

He said the loan assistance is payable in three years with no collateral and no interest.

Fishing vessel F/B GEM-VIR 1 suffered major damage causing it to sink, leaving all 22 fishermen floating in the middle of the sea for about three hours before being rescued by Vietnamese fishermen.

The DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has earlier committed to grant the fishermen 30-footer fiberglass boats with complete accessories, including engine and nets.

Piñol said 11 boats will be given, each will be shared by two fishermen so they could have another source of additional income while the F/B GEM-VIR 1 is being repaired.

Each of the 22 fishermen also received one sack of rice from the DA.

Piñol said he has also tapped the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) for some additional funding.

The funding will not be limited to assisting the 22 fishermen but will also be used to buy ice-making machines and cold storage for all the fishing grounds nationwide in need of them, he said.

“I talked to President Alfredo Lim of PAGCOR sabi ko baka puwedeng makatulong sila. So pinasulat nila ako sa board at humingi ako ng funding hindi lang para sa Mindoro fishermen na apektado pati na rin sa ibang fishing grounds na nangangailangan ng pagawaan ng ice tsaka cold storage,” Piñol said.

The Recto Bank incident caused the fishermen and the boat owners over P2 million worth of damages. It included about three tons of fish with estimated worth of P1 million; P500,000 in capital; and P700,000 for the fishing boat.

With the said amount of damage, Piñol pointed out that it is already time for the government to initiate the modernization of Philippine fishing boats.

“This incident should be an awakening incident for us na dapat na nating baguhin at i-modernize ang ating fisheries sector by offering them new, leveled up and modernized fishing boats made of steel,” said Piñol.

Majority of the boats being used in the country for fishing are made up from woods, which according to Piñol is very fragile and will not leave a single chance to overcome unexpected incidents in the seas.

To initiate the fishing boat modernization program, Piñol said they are already drafting a proposal to be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte. —KBK, GMA News