BFAR-NCR Regional Director Noemi SB Lanzuela graced the event and emphasized the importance of FishR to the fisherfolk as this allows fisherfolk to have better access to the programs and projects of the agency, “[𝘒𝘢]𝘱𝘢𝘨 𝘬𝘢𝘺𝘰 𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘰, 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢 [𝘬𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨] 𝘬𝘶𝘮𝘶𝘩𝘢 𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘴𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘣𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰”. She further emphasized the benefits of having an organized fisherfolk group, “𝘚𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘬𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘴!”.

 

RD Lanzuela also took the opportunity to introduce the Mangingisdang Direktor program, which aims to empower and recognize the marginal fisherfolk by performing the routinary functions of the BFAR Regional Director, except those involving financial and policy-related matters while the Regional Director will undertake immersion in the coastal communities to witness first-hand the emerging problems of the fisherfolk and create probable solutions.

 

Moreover, RD Lanzuela introduced the first-ever Mangingisdang Direktor of the NCR, Mr. Domingo “Ka Ingo” Acotim of CFARMC Las Piñas City.

 

In his message, Regional Fisherfolk Director Acotim reiterated the significance of being a registered fisherfolk and their role in society “𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘰 𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘢, 𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘬𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘢”.

 

Further, RFD Acotim supported the statement of RD Lanzuela and stressed that organizing fisherfolk group will aid them in accessing support and assistance from the government. “𝘒𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘢, 𝘶𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘰.”

 

The BFAR-NCR is set to continue organizing mobile fisherfolk registration with the hope to bring closer the programs and projects of the agency to the fisherfolk of Metro Manila.