The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources assured the public on Monday that regular assistance is extended to Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea, amid the heightened tensions arising from China’s aggression in the area.

In a televised interview on Monday, a BFAR key official said that continuous provision of support is given to fishers in WPS, citing that they recently had a successful resupply mission on Rozul Reef, also referred to as Iroquois Reef.

“Back then, while our ship was on a mission there, we saw about thirty foreign ships hovering,” fisheries spokesperson and head of the information and fisherfolk coordination unit, Nazario Briguera, said.

“But on February 5, it was successful; we didn't see any foreign Chinese ships, and that's why we were able to provide fuel to the fishermen; that's about 13 tons of diesel for our fishermen, and we also provided ready-to-eat snacks as well as medicines for those fishermen who anchored while we gave them our support.”

Based on the reports received by the bureau, due to this assistance, the fisher-beneficiaries were able to have a fish harvest with a volume of 12 tons.

“This is good news because we have achieved our goal of providing regular support to our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea.”

Layag WPS

To ensure that sufficient aid is provided to Filipino fishermen in WPS, the BFAR said it will continue this year its 2023 livelihood project 'Layag WPS,' which stands for Livelihood Activities to Enhance Fisheries Yield and Economic Gains from the West Philippine Sea.

According to Nazario, this government initiative provides job interventions to Filipino fisherfolk in WPS, including those fishermen of the provinces facing the said waters, which expands their livelihood opportunities.

“The province facing the West Philippine Sea, that's MIMAROPA, Region I, Region III, as well as NCR, that's part of the provinces facing the West Philippine Sea,” he said, citing that there are 385,300 Filipino fishermen on WPS.

He added: “At 90 percent of this number, we continuously provide assistance, support, and, in fact, your livelihood intervention because that's part of the regular program of the agency.”

“That's why we launched this Layag WPS so that we can better reach those remote coastal communities and also so that those who are sailing in the remote seas in the West Philippine Sea can be given help from the government.”

Besides the provision of food, fuel, and medicine for the Filipino fishers in WPS, the government is also set to procure this year new floating assets such as monitoring, control, and surveillance patrol vessels and a food boat.

According to Nazario, the vessel procurement will also strengthen the Philippine government’s presence in the WPS.

Layag had a P80 million allocation fund. This year, it has P2.5 billion in funds from the government for the acquisition of new floating assets.