Manila: At the heels of a government initiative to provide boats to fishermen affected by typhoon Haiyan, authorities are now setting their sights on providing them with freezers to that they can better preserve their catch.
According to Director Asis Perez of the Bureau of Fisheries and Natural Resources, the government will be providing the fishermen with post-harvest facilities as part of the efforts under the AHON! (Recover) Rehabilitation initiative.
Typhoon Haiyan slammed Eastern and Western Visayas as well as Palawan in November 8, 2013, killing thousands and wrecking the two regions in Central Philippines. More than 6,200 deaths have been reported but the toll continues as bodies continue to be accounted for.
Some two million houses were destroyed either partly or completely.
A large portion of the affected areas were those lying on the coast and in most cases, most of the residents there subsist on fishing. This was the reason why the government and private groups, in a bid to aid recovery for the affected areas, provided boats to the fishermen.
Asis said that four months since AHON! started, the initiative provided enough material to build 15,069 boats.
“We are happy to know that many of our fisherfolk-beneficiaries have already resumed their fishing activities through AHON! Our task, however, is not yet over as our efforts will now cover post-harvest equipment, particularly freezers to help fisherfolk preserve their catch,” Perez said.
At the onset of 2014, the BFAR has laid out plans to establish cold storage facilities and ice plants in strategic areas in the country but this would take time and the needs of the fisherfolk in the affected areas are immediate.
Depending on the size, a chest freezer could produce 100 to 200 ice packs per day. If one fisher uses five to ten ice packs a day, one chest freezer would be able to support the ice requirement of about 20 to 40 fisherfolk in a community. Moreover, BFAR will also conduct post-harvest technique training for women fisherfolk to help them increase the market value of their produce.
As for the pledges and contributions, Perez reiterated that the agency would not accept cash contributions. These will have to go through non-profit organisations which BFAR has identified as its partners.
Perez expressed optimism that soon the fisherfolk will not only re-establish their livelihoods but will earn more as well.
