70 fishermen receive needed aid

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao government has recently equipped 70 fishermen of two fisher folk cooperatives from the two provinces of Maguindanao and the Special Geographic Area brand-new fishing boats worth P4.2 million aimed to boost their income and fishing production.

BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, Al-Haj on Sunday revealed that the fund was drawn from the "Tulong Alay sa Bangsamorong Nangangailangan" program through Oplan Bangsamoro Rapid Assistance.

Among the recipients of the program were the Balong Ancestor Agriculture Cooperatives and Karding Ismael of TEE United Farmers and Fisherfolks Marketing Cooperatives.

The recipients of the fishing boats expressed gratitude to Ebrahim and the regional government for the help given to them in the province.

Ebrahim said that the TABANG program through OBRA had previously distributed 150 fishing boats across the region using funds allocated in 2021 and 2022 with the goal to support farmers and cooperatives in their day-to-day operations, enhance fishing production and provide additional economic goods and services.