Bangkabuhayan

Notes from the editor

A report released by the Asian Development Bank late last month asessed the impact of climate change on agriculture, fisheries, coral reefs, tourism and human health, and the assessment is not good. The “Economics of Climate Change in the Pacific” said environmental degradation due to climate change included flooding and storm surges.

Those two phenomena are all too familiar to us, the latter especially after last month’s Super Typhoon Yolanda that left over 5,000 people dead with over 1,000 still missing, and about 10 million people displaced. Entire towns and communities were wiped out; over large swaths of land practically nothing remained standing – not houses, not trees, not electric posts. Damage was pegged at over P10 billion across nearly 11,000 villages in 44 provinces. But the worst hit was the central part of the country, from the Samar provinces in the eastern seaboard clear across to Palawan.

The coconut and fisheries industries are reported to be the most affected. Now, exactly a month after the super typhoon hit, relief work is beginning to move into rehabilitation and reconstruction. Houses, markets, offices, roads and bridges are beginning to be rebuilt and livelihood restored.

Most of the fisherfolk in Central Visayas lost their boats. Ingenious that the Pinoy is, just days after the storm fishermen began to go out to sea again – in “boats” creatively fashioned out if refrigerators attached with bamboo outriggers. Foreign media featured these novel boats – and the world marveled at the indomitable spirit of the Filipino.

Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran, an organization of Tsinoys of which I am a member, and the Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) have embarked on a project to give fisherfolk proper boats so they can take up their livelihood again. The project Bangkabuhayan is initially targeting three communities in northern Iloilo – Ajuy, Concepcion and Estancia. Relief work had been conducted in these areas days after the storm, and it was decided that assistance continue as the people rebuild their lives.

The three towns have a population of about 130,000 people. A comprehensive census is still being done by the local government units as to the exact number of families who rely on fishing for their livelihood and who will thus need boats, but the initial estimate is about 3,200 boats.

A member of the MRPO is supplying the boats, fiberglass with a 7.5 HP engine, at cost (or maybe below cost) of P20,000. Equipping the boats with fishing gear such as nets and buoys will cost an additional P5,000.

The two organizations have begun accepting subscriptions for boats, and the response has been very encouraging. Donors get to name their boats, and will be informed about the family that will be the beneficiary of their generosity. Those who do not wish to sponsor a boat but would still like to help may do so by buying – and perhaps even helping to sell – Bangkabuhayan t-shirts.