“BFAR 8 Collaborates with USSC to Expedite Fuel Subsidy Program for Eastern Samar Fisherfolk: Over 350 Beneficiaries Processed in Repeat Caravan”

In a bid to fast-track and assist fisherfolk beneficiaries of the Fuel Subsidy Program First Tranche in Eastern Samar, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 8 Fuel Subsidy Program Core Team in active coordination with the Provincial Fishery Office (PFO) of Eastern Samar and selected coastal Local Government Units (LGUs) in the province partnered with the Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC) in conducting the Fuel Subsidy Repeat Caravan on August 9-11, 2023.

A total of 355 fisherfolk beneficiaries from the municipalities of Arteche, Balangiga, Can-avid, Borongan, Dolores, General MacArthur, Giporlos, Guiuan, Hernani, Lawaan, Llorente, Maydolong, Mercedes, Oras, Quinapondan, Salcedo, San Julian, San Policarpo, and Taft undergone the on-site Know Your Client (KYC) procedure with the BFAR and USSC to process their Fuel Subsidy (FS) Cards. Beneficiaries will then be notified by their respective Municipal Agriculture Officers once their cards are ready to be claimed within the third and last week of August 2023. Each of these cards holds fuel assistance worth Php3,000, available for use at partner and accredited fuel stations within the region. Beneficiaries are reminded to bring their waivers while their representatives may bring authorization letters upon claiming their cards.

By next month, almost 95% or 5,483 FS cards have been distributed amounting to Php16M worth of fuel assistance to qualified municipal fisherfolks in the region. BFAR 8 aims to hasten the distribution of these cards to prepare the future distribution of the FS Cards Second Tranche to more than 13,000 beneficiaries.

The Fuel Subsidy Program in the region started its implementation in July 22, 2022 to cushion the impact of the ongoing economic challenge causing continuous spike on fuel price, affecting the fishing routine of our fisherfolks and disturbing the price trend of selected fishery commodities. The program also envisions to maximize the utilization of agri-fishery machineries and facilities and enhance the resiliency of fisherfolk beneficiaries. For the first tranche, 5,898 fisherfolk beneficiaries have been endorsed by their respective Municipal Agriculture’s Office to the BFAR 8 to receive the said grant. These beneficiaries were able to meet the qualifications set by the Bureau and have been verified by their respective LGUs.