MALOLOS, BULACAN — To help ease the burden of cumulative increases in fuel prices, the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) distributed to some 500 fisher folk from Bulacan fuel discount cards (FDC) worth PhP3,000 each at the Malolos Sports Complex recently.
According to BFAR he discount cards was provided to the fishermen in collaboration with the provincial government led by Bulacan governor Daniel Fernando as part of the first batch of subsidies given to Bulacan fishermen.
According to BFAR Central Luzon regional director Wilfredo Cruz, the distribution was done along with Governor Daniel Fernando with PhP3,000 each given to qualified beneficiaries.
Cruz and Fernando expressed hope that the subsidy program will help assuage the additional weight of hardships on fisher folk brought about by the spate of fuel price hikes.
“Umaasa kaming makakatulong ito sa ating mangingisda na talaga namang apektado sa pagtaas ng gasolina na kanilang kailangan para sa kanilang mga Bangka na ginagamit sa pangingisda. Nagpapasalamat kami sa pamahalaang nasyonal, particular na sa Departrment of Agriculture at Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources sa patuloy na pag-aaruga sa ating mga kababayang sobra na ang paghihirap sanhi ng krisis na dulot hindi lamang ng pandemya ng coronavirus kundi maging ang paghina ng ating ekonomiya,” Fernando pointed out.
For his part, Cruz assured affected families reeling from the impact of the pandemic and economic downturn that government will continue to provide the services they need as mandated by outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte and his Cabinet.
“Ibibigay namin sa mamamayan ang tulong na kanilang kailangan dahil ito ang aming tungkulin bilang mga opisyal ng pamahalaan,” the BFAR official said.
