The director of the Hunger Mitigation Program of Bureau of  Fisheries  and  Aquatic  Resources, Jaime dela Vega,  yesterday said he was  impressed by the  successful implementation  of  the Coastal  Marine Resources Program  in the  municipality  of  Dauin, Negros  Oriental.

Dauin is  one  of  the  recipients of  the  P150,000  funding from  BFAR  under  the  program. An evaluation team  was in  the  province yesterday, in compliance  with the 10 development  goals of  President  Gloria  Macapagal-Arroyo.

De la Vega  said  among  the  10 local   government  units  from   eight   provinces   they have visited in the country,  only  Dauin showed  a  very  positive support  to  the  program.

He said Dauin  is an ideal LGU  as  recipient  of  the  program, which does not normally  require  a  counterpart  fund from  the  local government.

The BFAR will recommend Dauin for additional  funding, as it was one of the LGU’s which supported the  program in terms  of  counterpart  funding  and   implementation, Dela Vega  said.

Dauin  Mayor  Rodrigo  Alanano  said  P150,000 was  barely  enough  to  purchase equipment  for  the  Bantay Dagat  and   the  fishermen’s  association. 

The allocated  LGU counterpart  fund  of  more  than  P300,000  was  taken  from  the  Coastal  Resource  Trust  Fund, Alanano said.

The money was  used  to buy materials  for  the  construction of  five   patrol boats,  kerosene  lamps  and scoop  nets, he said.

The scoop nets  are  given  to  fishermen   in  line  with  efforts  to  eliminate  the  use  of   fine  mesh  nets, Alanano added.*MA

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