PRESS RELEASE

24 NOVEMBER 2020

DA-BFAR CONTINUES RELIEF AND LIVELIHOOD ASSISTANCE TO TYPHOON-AFFECTED BICOL REGION

The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) sends out one of its floating assets, BRP Lapu-Lapu (Multi-Mission Offshore Vessel 5001), to transport relief and livelihood assistance to Bicol region.

The relief missions, which are done in cooperation with the Philippine Coast Guard, started after the onslaught of supertyphoon Rolly (international name: Goni). 

On November 6, 2020, BRP Lapu-Lapu departed Pier 12, South Harbor, Manila to Tabaco, Albay to ferry fishery materials and supplies such as plywood, marine engines, gill nets, and handlines for distribution to affected fisherfolk whose boats and fishing gears were either damaged or completely destroyed by the typhoon. Several hours after BRP Lapu-Lapu arrived in Albay and unloaded the supplies, the multi-mission vessel set out for San Carlos Port in Negros Occidental on November 9, 2020 to consolidate more relief goods from DA-BFAR Regional Offices 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12. 

Among the goods collected were hundreds of sacks of rice, boxes of bottled water, canned goods, boxes of dried fish, 500 kilograms of frozen bangus and other grocery items. BRP Lapu-Lapu left San Carlos port on November 13, 2020 and arrived at Tabaco port the following day to turn over the goods to BFAR Region V for distribution.

On November 21, 2020, during its third leg of relief and livelihood operation, BRP Lapu-Lapu carried 50 units of 20-footer fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) boats and 42 units of motor engines from BFAR Region 8 in Tacloban City to Catanduanes. These were delivered to fisherfolk-beneficiaries in the island province to help them get back to their livelihood. A fourth run of DA-BFAR’s mission is set to happen by the end of this month. This, too, will transport FRP boats to fisherfolk in the Bicol region. 

The Bicol region took the brunt of supertyphoon Rolly when it swept Luzon in early November this year. It has affected 7, 202 fisherfolk in the region and brought the worst damage to fisheries with more than Php 224.82 million lost to the typhoon.

(Photos courtesy of BFAR - Vessel Operations Center and BFAR - Region 8)