Boatmen. To boost their livelihood activities, the fisherfolk community living along Lake Lanao in Balindog, Lanao del Sur receive new boats and fishing gears from the partnership of the local government unit and the Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program.(Photo by Sherwin B. Manual)

Brgy. Borakis, Balindong, Lanao del Sur – Maranaos here have better reason to get up early, sail and do their fishing activity.
This after the fisherfolk community were granted their new boats and fishing gear to boost their sluggish fishing livelihood.
“For a long time, many of us were fishermen without a boat and nets of our own,” said Macalaba Saporna in his Maranao dialect.

The livelihood assistance was from the local government unit of Balindong and the Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP).

MRDP is poverty alleviation initiative under DA aimed to uplift living conditions of select poor communities in Mindanao.

Funded by the loan portfolio from the World Bank and equity share of the national and local government units, the program covers 225 towns in all of the six regions in Mindanao.

In this coastal barangay along Lake Lanao, expectedly fishing is the main source of income. But the lack of fishing gear is also among their problem.

“It was difficult even for subsistence much more for income generation. Lake Lanao is abundant in fish but we could hardly benefit from it,” said Saporna who is the president of the Borakis Ranao Association.

So-called “people of the Lake”, the Maranaos are skillful fishermen whose economic activities are tied mostly on Lake Lanao known as the deepest freshwater lake and the second largest lake in the Philippines.

“Before, those who do not have boats have to wait for the boat owners to comeback after their fishing. Only then can they sail and fish for their own catch,” said Saporna.

Such arrangement was difficult but many of them was used to compromise lest there will be no food on their tables.

Having to wait for the boat owners’ permission to use their banca is a waste of a lot of time and fishing has to be on the right time in order to catch more fish.

“It was really difficult back then. Even as we wake up in the morning we worry whether we could have food on the table or much more extra catch to sell for income,” said Saporna.

In the October 2011, the PO was able to access at least P250,000 funding from MRDP which they use to purchase 25 boats and nets for the first 25 beneficiaries.

“Each boat means food on table and income since fishing is our main source of food and income,” he said.

“They are in our priority list since many of the families in that community belong to the poorest of the poor” Mayor Raysalam Mangondato said.

“Since we are a fourth class town our IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) cannot really provided the needed assistance especially on livelihood even if we wanted to. We need to prioritize our infrastructure, health concerns and other social services” said Mayor Mangondato.

“We find in MRDP a big ally. So we invested in the Program infrastructure projects like irrigation and roads. As well as potable water systems which many of our communities badly need and livelihood projects which they have long clamored for,” she said.

Soparna said the boat and the fishing gears provided them has brought a renewed hope and confidence that income and food on their table is somehow secured.

“I notice our little village has become more alive now that many of us have boats of our own. In fact some fishermen here bring their catch to the nearby town’s market daily. Paired with our hardwork and skills, we are secured to boost our income and provide food for our families,” he said. (Sherwin B. Manual/DAMRPD)