Some fishermen from Masinloc, Zambales, will receive financial help after losing their livelihood when a cargo ship carrying coal fuel for the Masinloc Power plant destroyed their fish aggregating device (FAD), or payao, last Jan. 17.
On June 8, members of the New Masinloc Fishermen’s Association (NMFA) signed a memorandum of agreement with officials of the SMC Global Power Philippines (SMCGCP) Power Foundation, Inc. for the installation and maintenance of fish aggregating devices in waters off Masinloc. SMCGP operates the Masinloc Power Plant.
The P909,000 cash assistance will be given to the fishermen’s group upon completion of legal requirements, said Zambales Rep. Doris “Nanay Bing” Maniquiz of the second district, who helped broker the agreement.
The Zambales lawmaker brought to the attention of SMCGP the plight of the fishermen and negotiated on their behalf for the assistance that will boost payao operations and other livelihood projects.
Maniquiz herself gave P150,000 last March so that the fishermen could immediately build another payao, while the provincial government of Zambales gave legal assistance.
NMFA president Leonard Cuaresma said they lost their payao worth P150,000 when a ship carrying coal fuel for the Masinloc power plant ran over their device on Jan. 17.
They also incurred damage of P360,000 in unrealized income from payao harvest and about P390,000 from hook-and-line fishing by the 36 NMFA members, he added.
Atty. Cynthia Pantoñal, executive director of the SMCGP Foundation, said that while the support was not connected to the loss of the payao caused by a third party, the SMCGP Foundation gave its help because it wanted to establish a partnership with local payao fishermen.
Engr. Roland Cabasal, manager of the Masinloc Power Plant, meanwhile, said his office is willing to help out fisherfolk families in terms of employment opportunities at the power facility.
Under the agreement, NMFA members will handle the installation of FADs, and assume full responsibility for the management, operation, maintenance, and monitoring of the project. The SMCGP Foundation, on the other hand, shall provide for the P909,000 in funding.
NMFA officials said the funds from the San Miguel Foundation will help them maintain the four payao devices that members of his group had installed in the sea off Masinloc.
Some of it will also be used for the completion of a smokehouse for the group’s tinapa-making project, as well as to buy a tricycle for transporting fish products and materials in the community, Cuaresma said.
Congressman Maniquiz, meanwhile, advised the group to use the funds wisely and well. “You should be able to do a lot with this generous assistance, so that our kind donors will go on giving support,” she said.
“Always be thankful, grow your project, be successful, and be an example to others,” Maniquiz added. FREEPORT INSIDER
