PBBM urged to certify aid bill for fishermen

THE Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Monday urged the Marcos administration to certify as urgent a bill seeking P15,000 direct production subsidy to small fishermen amid rising inflation and increase in fishing production cost.

The group said there are at least 1 million registered fisherfolk in the Philippines who are in dire need of government support.

“We urge the Marcos administration to certify as urgent this doable and sound economic measure that will ease the impacts of staggering prices of basic commodities that jack up the cost in the fishing production,” Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chairperson said in a news release.

Filed by Makabayan bloc legislators on July 18, House Bill 2024 stated that at least 1 million Filipinos employed in the fisheries and aquatic sectors, as recorded by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), shall directly receive the amount of P15,000 for production and livelihood expenses.

“If approved, this proposed bill will benefit our small fisherfolk who have been reeling from the economic impacts of pandemic and natural calamities that struck the country, particularly typhoons ‘Odette’ and ‘Agaton,’” Hicap, former Anakpawis party-list lawmaker added.

The group said that despite the two consecutive rollbacks on oil prices, small fishers are still unable to get back on their feet unless the government imposes a concrete measure to pull down further the pump prices, such as reversing the deregulation of the oil industry to prevent oil companies from controlling fuel prices.

“We are not begging for alms, but we are demanding a sustaining and life-supporting subsidy for our ailing sector who are also food security frontliners. The government should’ve learned its lesson that food security during a crisis is an indispensable issue next to public health,” ended Hicap.