The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Fish Right initiative, has given away freezers to women’s associations in the fishing community in Brgy. Tagburos, Puerto Princesa, in support of their livelihood.
“To support the women associations in the coastal village of Tagburos, USAID provided them freezers to avoid spoilage of their products, addressing post-harvest loss, and increasing their income,” the USAID said in a statement.
USAID Mission Director Ryan Washburn, who turned over the equipment, reiterated their support to the fishing village.
“USAID is deeply committed to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient fisheries management as this will better assure healthy communities and ecosystems,” he said
The Tagburos fishing village, comprising 1,500 fishing families, is one of USAID’s learning and innovation hubs in the West Philippine Seascape in the South China Sea.
Last November, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited the community whose fisherfolk were affected by the encroachment of China and other claimant countries on the Philippines’ traditional fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea.
“Fisheries resources are further challenged due to encroachment by large-scale, domestic fishing fleets on the nearshore grounds of small-scale fishers due to competition and harassment from foreign maritime forces and private fishing vessels,” the US Government said during her visit.
“The U.S. government, through USAID, is helping the Philippine government in countering illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing while promoting good fishing practices and ensuring a sustainable source of food and livelihoods of local communities,” USAID further said.
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