The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is launching a “food boat” to support the livelihoods of Filipino fishers in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). This initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directives to enhance local productivity and assist fishers.
The food boat will provide logistics support and direct market linkage, similar to the recently launched “Kadiwa ng Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (KBBM)” program in Palawan. BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera announced that over PHP20 million worth of food boats will be available to fishers by the end of the year or early 2026.
“The BFAR’s food boat will sail to the sea and it has a capacity to provide ice on board, the slurry ice to preserve the catch of our fishers,” Briguera stated. He added, “This will also serve as logistic support to fishers by delivering their fresh catch from sea to markets.” Each food boat can carry 20 metric tons (MT) weekly, benefiting fishers, especially during peak fishing seasons.
The KBBM program will assist nearly 1,000 fishers in the WPS by covering operational costs, providing fuel and ice subsidies, and facilitating market access. Briguera explained that the KBBM, using the Philippine Coast Guard’s MV Mamalakaya, will transport fishers’ fresh catch to major ports in Zambales, Navotas, and surrounding areas.
“Ang advantage po nito, mababawasan iyong operational cost ng ating mga mangingisda dahil hindi na kinakailangan na bumalik na kaagad sila sa pampang para madala ang kanilang mga huli,” he noted. He emphasized that fishers can sell their catch directly from the PCG vessel, reducing the need for immediate returns to shore.
The WPS production contributes to 13 percent of the country’s total annual fish production. The Department of Agriculture plans to implement the KBBM in three phases until 2027, starting with the Kalayaan Group of Islands, followed by Bajo de Masinloc in 2026, and portions of Northern Luzon, including Benham Rise, in 2027.
