ILOILO CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) awarded the town of Ajuy in northern Iloilo province for its initiatives on proper management of coastal and fisheries resources.
Ajuy, represented by Mayor Jett Rojas, was first runner-up in the 2022 Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK). Ajuy received P18-million worth of fisheries livelihood projects.
BFAR-6 (Western Visayas) Director Remia Aparri said Ajuy boasts some of the country’s richest ecosystems, characterized by extensive coral reefs, seagrass beds, and century-old mangrove forest.
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said Ajuy can serve as a model for other LGUs in good coastal and fisheries management.
The governor and Iloilo Provincial Administrator Raul Banias accompanied Rojas during the awarding ceremony in Manila.
The municipality of Bayabas in Surigao del Sur province topped the competition.