CEBU CITY – The provincial government has launched a program that aims to improve the lives of fisherfolk in Bohol.

Gov. Aris Aumentado signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the Fish Buy-Back program.

Among those who signed the MOA were officials from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Cooperative Development Office, Provincial General Services Office, Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources- Region 7, Landbank of the Philippines, people’s organization (PO), and traders groups.

Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Larry Pamugas said the program is one of the initiatives that the province is taking to help bring down the prices of fish and other sea products.

Renato Auxtero, president of PO, which is comprised of fishermen, thanked Aumentado for coming up with the program that will help them easily dispose of their products.

“With this program, we will no longer rely on loan sharks just so we can sustain our livelihood,” Auxtero said. Through the program, fishermen will no longer have difficulty finding buyers, Auxtero said.

The provincial government will also conduct trainings for PO members to familiarize them with cashless transactions.

“I would like to thank the government agencies and the private sectors from the business community for supporting this program. This will help ensure that our fishermen will have sufficient income to support their families,” said Aumentado.

Under the MOA, traders will sell fish and other sea products that they bought from PO members.

As part of the agreement, merchandise bought by traders from PO members will be sold at a lower price.

The provincial government, through the Cooperative Development Office, will implement and fund the program.

Landbank will form a credit facility in which cooperatives can avail of loans that would be used to buy sea products from the PO members.