TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES — To support coastal communities and enhance regional aquatic yield, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office No. 8 (BFAR 8) distributed ₱40.5 million worth of fisheries interventions during the Handog ng Pangulo Serbisyo Caravan across Eastern Visayas on September 14, 2026.
Regional Intervention Breakdown and Beneficiary Reach
The simultaneous inter-provincial turnover provided direct production support to both individual operators and organized community groups across five key provinces:
Provincial Coverage: The simultaneous distribution initiative spanned the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, and Northern Samar.
Beneficiary Allocation: The project directly benefited over 200 individual fisherfolk and 43 recognized fisherfolk associations across the region.
Aquaculture and Fishing Equipment: Distributed items included fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) boats with complete accessories, tuna handline fishing craft, deep-sea payao, bangus culture systems in modular high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cages, seaweed nurseries, and Lambaklad projects.
Specialized Livelihood Support: The turn-over package also incorporated salt production modules along with various specialized fishing gears and paraphernalia.
Economic Impact and Livelihood Security
The government-led caravan aims to address both immediate production needs and long-term coastal economic stability:
Production Capacity: The modern fishing gear and aquaculture infrastructure are structured to significantly increase local fish supply and regional aquatic production rates.
Community Economic Development: By equipping coastal associations with scalable technologies, BFAR 8 aims to expand sustainable livelihood opportunities and boost income generation for fisherfolk families throughout Eastern Visayas.
