LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — More than 22,000 fisherfolk across the Bicol Region have received a combined ₱51.8 million in financial assistance under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF), providing much-needed support to help sustain their livelihoods amid rising fuel prices, unpredictable weather, and increasing fishing expenses.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Bicol, the cash assistance forms part of the national government's continuing efforts to cushion the impact of economic and environmental challenges confronting the country's fisheries sector.

BFAR Bicol spokesperson Rowena Briones said beneficiaries were selected through a rigorous multi-stage identification and validation process to ensure that assistance reached qualified fisherfolk.

The Department of Agriculture-BFAR Central Office initially generated the list of beneficiaries using three official government databases—the Fisherfolk Registration System (FishR), Boat Registration System (BoatR), and the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

The preliminary list was then forwarded to local government units (LGUs), which verified the eligibility and current status of each listed fisherfolk before returning the validated records to BFAR.

Following local validation, the Department of Agriculture conducted a deduplication process to determine whether beneficiaries had already received financial aid under other government assistance programs.

Briones explained that individuals who had previously benefited from other Department of Agriculture interventions, including financial assistance provided to rice and corn farmers, were excluded to ensure equitable distribution of funds under the Presidential assistance program.

"The assistance is designed to provide timely financial relief to fisherfolk affected by rising fuel costs, unpredictable weather conditions, and the increasing expenses associated with fishing operations," Briones said.

Although not intended as a permanent solution, she emphasized that the financial assistance offers immediate support that helps ease household expenses, sustain fishing activities, and improve the daily lives of fishing communities.

Distribution of the assistance across the Bicol Region is now nearing completion, with payouts continuing only in Sorsogon Province, where scheduled releases for the remaining qualified beneficiaries are currently underway.

The Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk program remains one of the government's key initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience of agricultural and fisheries communities while promoting food security and protecting the livelihoods of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk.

NPO News Team I PNA-PR