₱1.6M CASH AID: 526 Ifugao fisherfolk receive assistance amid livelihood challenges

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — A total of 526 fisherfolk in Ifugao are set to receive cash assistance from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Cordillera (BFAR-CAR) this week to help support their livelihoods amid economic challenges affecting the fisheries sector.

The assistance is being distributed under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP), which provides financial support to qualified farmers and fisherfolk affected by economic difficulties, including rising production costs and market disruptions.

According to BFAR-CAR data reported on September 15, each qualified beneficiary will receive ₱2,325. With 715 fisherfolk across the Cordillera qualified for the program, the total assistance amounts to approximately ₱1.6 million.

Ifugao has the largest number of qualified fisherfolk beneficiaries in the Cordillera, with 526 recipients.

The beneficiaries were qualified based on their registration in FishR or BoatR and their active engagement in fishing operations during periods of economic instability or market disruption.

In Ifugao, the distribution is being led by the agency’s Fisheries Post-Harvest Support Services Division (FPSSD) and the Provincial Fisheries Office-Ifugao, in coordination with concerned local government units.

On September 14, assistance was distributed to 130 beneficiaries in Alfonso Lista, nine in Lagawe and 45 in Mayoyao.

Another 236 beneficiaries in Aguinaldo received their assistance on September 15, bringing the total number served in the four municipalities to 420, or about 80 percent of Ifugao’s 526 qualified beneficiaries.

Distribution to the remaining qualified beneficiaries in other municipalities will continue in the coming days.

BFAR-CAR said the assistance provides additional financial support to fisherfolk who continue to rely on fishing for their livelihood amid economic challenges affecting the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

While the ₱2,325 assistance per beneficiary is limited, it provides immediate financial support as qualified fisherfolk continue their livelihood activities.

The distribution also coincides with the 63rd Fish Conservation Week, reinforcing BFAR’s campaign to promote the protection and sustainable use of fisheries and aquatic resources.

Aside from Ifugao, qualified beneficiaries from Benguet, Apayao, Abra and Mountain Province are scheduled to receive their assistance on succeeding dates this September.