PAMILACAN ISLAND, Baclayon, Bohol. (PIA)—Without leaving a household unserved, the government handed cash aid and food relief to 451 fisherfolk families and distressed tourism workers here, as Capitol and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed the government Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), and Bohol’s social relief program last May 4.
Severely affected by diminishing fish catch due to sea temperature rise as an effect of climate change, and the still recovering tourism slump, fishers and tourist guides in the island’s world class snorkelling and dive sites are now in the heat of preparations for the barangay fiesta, May 15.
The assistance came just in time, Nemesia Pingki-an, a tourism operator, shared during an interview after the event.
Facilitated by Senator Aimee Marcos, and distributed by a team led by DSWD Bohol Social Welfare and Development Officer Jimmy Crusio, the AICS of P3,000 also came with a five kilo rice pack, canned goods and groceries, from the provincial government, said Carolyn M. Pon, Capitol’s Medical Outreach Unit head over seeing the local government’s Atiman program.
Set to celebrate the feast day of Saint Isidore, the patron saint of farmers, Pamilacan reserves two special days of gathering and celebration in a year: the feast day and the celebration of Saint John the Baptist.
“Daku na ni kayo og tabang, kon hunahunaon, makapalit na kini og tunga sa sako nga bugas ug gamay nga karne sawhan sa pista, Pingki-an, who has also been providing jobs for snorkelling guides to tourists staying overnight in her beach huts.
A barangay which is highly politicized, Pamilacan is a bulwark of the opposition, but we did not hesitate to come in because we know the people deserve all the help they can get in this time, Gov. Aumentado said in the sidelines.
“Tanan, atong gihatagan, walay pilipili, Pon, who also brought doctors, nurses and medical personnel to render medical and dental services during the mission, said.
Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado also used the occasion to revisit the island, which he frequented years back.
“Nalipay ko nga nakabalik ug makahinabi kamo nga mga katawhan dinhi, nia mi aron mamati sa inyong mga problema,” the governor who brought in Capitol’s name, committed to help restore the island’s sea-water processing facilities to make potable water available and accessible to all.
Twenty kilometres from the mainland mother town of Baclayon, the island sits right in the middle of a vast sea superhighway for pelagic fish and the migratory path of the ocean giants.
Traditionally the fishing grounds for fishers using pilak; an over-sized stainless steel hook, fishermen here used to catch whales and whale sharks as a lucrative livelihood.
The dangerous practice of diving into the water to manually tag the whales with hooks so they can butcher the marine mammal for its exotic meat, has since been stopped as environmentally unsustainable.
In place of that, tourism stakeholders introduced the more environmentally suitable whale and dolphin watching and snorkelling and dive tours in the island’s breath-taking underwater attractions.
Even with a good tourism potential, island residents still opt to move to the mainland owing to the dangerous crossing in ill-weather.
Lisud gyud kayo, Pamilacan resident and Baclayon Councilor Victoria Aquino, who has long relocated in Barangay Montana in mainland Baclayon shared, recalling the dangers of crossing, especially when the waves come.
Nalipay ‘ta sa pagbisita ni Gov, aron iya pod nga makita ang sitwasyon ug makapangita og tabang nga ikatanyag sa kagamhanan para dinhi sa among isla, she said. (PIABohol)
