Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has called on the government to ensure that small farmers and fisherfolk are included in fuel assistance programs, saying they are just as affected by rising fuel prices as public transport workers.
Escudero made the appeal after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported that almost half of fishers in Luzon have stopped going out to sea due to high fuel costs.
“Sana ay mabigyan ng karagdagang tulong ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda bukod sa nailaan na ng pamahalaan para sa kanila sapagkat hindi naman talaga sapat ang subsidiyang binibigay,” the senator said. “Hindi sila dapat maiwan sa anumang ayuda ng pamahalaan.”
He stressed that both national and local governments should intensify efforts to immediately extend assistance to fishing communities across the country. According to him, some local government units have already started providing support to affected sectors.
In Eastern Visayas, over 900 municipal fisherfolk in Biliran recently received ₱3,000 fuel discount cards under BFAR’s Fuel Discount Program for Farmers and Fisherfolk.
In Tacloban City, transport groups have also begun receiving fuel aid as rising fuel prices continue to affect their operations.
Meanwhile, in Bacolod City, Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez spearheaded the distribution of free biodiesel to fisherfolk in several barangays, aiming to help reduce their operating expenses amid sustained high fuel costs.
Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) executive director Jayson Cainglet also said that as much as 50 percent of fisherfolk in Cavite, Bataan, Zambales, and Pangasinan have stopped fishing due to expensive fuel.
Pangisda Pilipinas president Pablo Rosales also urged urgent government intervention, noting that small fishers are barely earning due to weekly increases in fuel prices.
“Araw araw silang lumalabas para magbigay ng pagkain sa ating hapag, pero sila mismo ay apektado sa pagtaas ng presyo ng krudo. Kailangan nila ng agarang tulong at suporta mula sa pamahalaang nasyonal at lokal,” Escudero said.
