The Ilocos Norte Government has distributed fish aggregating devices called “payao” to about 300 fishers from the coastal villages of Metro Gabu in this city to help boost their livelihood.
Composed of three fisherfolk associations, the beneficiaries are from Barangays 34-A (Gabu Norte West), 34-B (Gabu Norte East), and 35 (Gabu Sur).
In his short speech last week, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc said that the payaos, which came from a dredging contractor , would make it easier for the fisherfolk to improve their catch.
The payao distribution forms part of the corporate social responsibility project of the He Sha Prime Sand and Gravel Aggregates Philippines, Inc., which has an ongoing dredging activity at the mouth of the Padsan River in Metro Gabu.
To make up for the three-year, large-scale dredging project, which has displaced some fishermen, the dredging contractor through the provincial government distributed the payao to sustain their livelihood.
Manotoc also added that all the fisherfolk who would be affected by the river dredging project will be properly compensated.
“This is a win-win (project) for all of us. We will make sure that we will fulfill our obligation in this dredging operation,” concluded Manotoc.