DA-BFAR Information and Public Relations
Reference: BFAR Information and Public Relations
May 10,2010
Mindoro Fisherman is BFAR's New Fisherfolk Director this May
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, an agency under the Department of Agriculture pays tribute to the country’s fishermen by designating Ronald Pagcalinawan, a fisherfolk leader from Mindoro Occidental, as the national Fisherfolk Director along with 16 others as Regional Fisherfolk
Directors in BFAR for the whole month of May.
Pagcalinawan was officially sworn in as the 6 th National fisherfolk director by Agriculture Secretary Bernie G. Fondevilla during the opening of the Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month at the DA in Quezon City .
Fondevilla said that despite the harsh difficulties brought about by the impact of climate change to our farmers and fishermen, they continue to work hard to provide the food for the population.
“Kaya naman kami sa Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka ay patuloy na itinaguyod ang pagdiriwang na ito taun-taon upang kilalanin ang kanilang mahalagang ambag sa ating pakikibaka sa mga hamong ito, kasabay na rin ng ating mga pagsisikap maibsan ang kahirapan at kakulangan sa pagkain” , Fondevilla said.
BFAR national director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr. said that the Mangingisdang Direktor program, now on its sixth (6 th ) year of implementation, aims to provide the fisherfolk leaders a glimpse of the government’s regular operations by trading places with the regular directors.
The undertaking is one of the key programs initiated by former Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap in empowering the fisherfolk, the guidelines of which are spelled out in DA Special Order No. 88 s. 2005 and BFAR FOO No. 80 s. 2005.
Sarmiento said that under the program, the fisherfolk directors will perform all the routinary functions of the regular directors, except those involving financial and policy-related matters, while the latter also undertakes immersion in the coastal communities.
“This way, both parties will have a better understanding of each others’ positions and hopefully promote closer collaboration and stronger ties between the government and its stakeholders”, Sarmiento added.
An active FARMC leader based in Region 4B, Pagcalinawan has been a Regional Fisherfolk Director in BFAR Region 4B in 2008. This May, he will sit as the BFAR national fisherfolk director to administer the functions of 16 other BFAR regional offices headed by the following regional fisherfolk directors: Absolon Buenafe, Jr., Cordillera Administrative Region; Gavina P. Tumbaga, Region 1; Sixto N. Trinidad, Region 2; Romeo M. Sunga, Region 3; Sonny S. San Jose, Region 4A; Antonio F. dela Torre, Region 4B; Romen B. Diones, Region 5; Hernani T. Tingson, Region 6; Wilfredo M. Reyes, Sr., Region 7; Beverlito G. Montalban, Region 8; Antonio M. Duran, Region 9; Fernando S. Ocaba, Region 10; Camilo H. de los Trayco, Region 11; Brahim M. Kunsa, Region 12; Leonilo G. Vaz, Caraga Region; and Abdul Rahman T. Barazan, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.
Paglicawan stressed that in his one-month stint he would ensure that the fisherfolk in the smallest and farthest of all coastal towns would be able to understand the programs of the government. “ Gusto po naming ipatagos ang programa ng BFAR upang matulungan ang mga maliliit na mangingingisda sa pinakaliblib na lugar na kung saan halos hindi na naabot ng pamahalaan,”
Source:http://www.da.gov.ph/newindex2.php?pass=News_events/2010/may/may10_2010b.html
