The campaign to stop illegal fishing and other destructive fishing practices goes to high gear with the award of over P60-million in livelihood support funds for the country's cleanest coastal communities by President Rody Duterte sometime this month.
The "Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan" (MMK) annual Presidential Awards is a program of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to promote sustainable and responsible fishing in the face of continued illegal fishing activities and dwindling catch by marginal fisher folks.
To qualify, the coastal towns must meet the five criteria set by the national selection committee of the MMK.
First, the coastal town must have no reported cases of illegal fishing.
Second, the town must have a declared and protected marine sanctuary.
Third, there must be a well-managed and protected mangrove area.
Fourth, the town must have a self-imposed closed fishing season which would coincide with the spawning season of the fish species found in its fishing rounds.
Fifth, the coastal waters and fishing grounds must be free of floating garbage and effluence flowing from factories or processing plants.
Regional winners who will receive P2-million each have been selected while the five finalists will be announced during the awards ceremonies expected to be held in Malacañang.
Of the five finalists, the MMK Presidential Awardee will receive P20-million, the first runner up P8-million and the second runner up P5-million.
The prizes will be given to the winning towns and could only be utilised for livelihood programs for fisher folks especially during the closed season for fishing, speed boats for the Bantay Laut members and activities aimed at stopping illegal fishing.
Undersecretary Eduardo Gongona, BFAR national director, said the winning towns will also be supported by the bureau with fiberglass fishing boats, fish landing and ice making facilities.
The top three winners of the MMK for 2016 will no longer be qualified to compete in the future search for winners.
The exact date of the MMK Awards will be announced as soon as Malacañang confirms the availability of President Duterte in view of his very tight schedules.
Here's the VIDEO of the campaign!
By Manny Piñol
Here's the VIDEO of the campaign!
By Manny Piñol
