Villar cites fishermen during the National Fisherfolks Day Celebration

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar has lauded the significant contribution of fisherfolks to accelerate the growth of the country's economy.

In a video message during the celebration of the National Fisherfolks Day, Villar recognized them for continuously bringing foods from the bodies of water amid the pandemic.

The country observes the National Fisherfolks Day every May 31 through a

Presidential Proclamation issued in 2000 or 21 years ago.

"During this Fisherfolks Day, we honor our fishermen whom we hailed as "frontliners" because they go fishing everyday despite the risk of intense heat or rain," Villar said.

"Let us help them by buying their catch while they guarantee to keep our rivers and seas clean. Let us also continue to fight

illegal fishing activities that destroy rich resources from our waters." she added.

In her home city of Las Pinas, Villar extolled they have been protecting and conserving their coastal areas and marine sanctuaries like the Las Pinas Paranaque Wetland Park.

She stressed this would ensure that they can have regular sources of fishes and other seafoods leave the Las Pinas Paranaque Wetland Park Mangrove Area is they growing ground of fishes in Manila Bay.

Furthermore, she told fishermen from Bernabe Compound in Las Pinas they belong to the 1.8 million small scale fishermen in our country.

The fishermen from Bernabe Compound were chosen by the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute(NFRDI), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Researches (BFAR) , to attend the important assembly held in Las Pinas. This year's celebration has for its theme, "Mussle Culture, Handling and Technologies."

She said the NFRDI, BFAR Villar Sipag Farm School will provide guidance to our mussels culture through training that will be set in the next few days.

"Fishes and mussels are seen as good alternative sources of protein. Like urban vegetable gardening that we are promoting, I will also focus in helping improve the lives of our Bernabe Compound fisherfolks," noted Villar.

She also reminded Fisherfolks to register in the BFAR fish database for registration of fisherfolks in the municipal waters. She said they must also update their profile so any help from the national government can easily reach them.