Page 83 - TANGKIRAN

Success
Going Confidently in the Direction of their Dream

The fisherfolks of Aparri benefit from the bounty of the sea and the nipa by the river. They catch fish when
the weather is calm, and harvest nipa shingles, sap and gather seashells in the river to augment their income. Story
This is how the community in Bisagu, Aparri earn for a living before the Nipa Project was implemented.
The Cagayan State University came to them one day for assessment of possible nipa restoration site in Barangays
Bisagu, Navagan and Linao through their barangay captains and fisherfolk organizations. Bisagu Fisherfolk
Association identified a possible nipa restoration site which was certified by the DENR. This commenced the
partnership between the organization and CSU as implementing agency to work for the restoration of nipa
plantation for bioethanol production in the near future.

In an interview, Barangay Councilor and President of the Bisagu Fisherfolk Association, Jonel C. Labbao, told the
Nipa Project Team how grateful they are for the project.

“…kanyami idtoy Ma’am ket maysa nga pagbiyagan mi daytoy nipa, ken mayat kami latta nu adda mangted ti mulmula
mi, kasla kanyami nga asosasyon ket adu met ti maitultulong na, “ said Kagawad Labbao.
Kagawad took pride of the cooperation of all the members of association in the project, men and women alike, from land
preparation, planting and management. Members of the association were able to use their income from planting nipa to
buy necessities at home especially food for the initial monetary benefits of the project for them. When the nipa trees they
planted grow, they will no longer pay for rent to private nipa plantation owners because they will have nipa for everybody to
harvest. Jonel Labbao
The organization was able to raise additional fund for the association through its share from the amount given to the association Fisherman
for their labor in gathering nipa seedlings and planting. This amount will be added to the fund that the association is able to lend
to its members without interest when faced with emergencies. They also use some amount to finance members’ livelihood which Pasiguit
they charge with very minimal interest rate.
source of fuel for their bancas. Moreover, they believe that their contribution to the goals of the government to build sustainable Fisherfolk
They look forward to the project’s long term benefits especially the production of bioethanol that will give them clean and cheap
source of biofuel from the bountiful nipa plantation in their area is a mine of numerous benefits for the environment, for the country Association
and the future of their children in Bisagu.

“Dakkel latta met nga pagyamanan mi ta innikkan na kami ti bassit nga tulong, ngem dakkel kanyami daydiayen, adu ti natulungan na
nga kasla kanyami nga agal-ala ti nipa,” he added.

The community looks forward to working with Cagayan State University to help them improve their livelihood while taking care of the
nipa plantations. They hope that the government will give them another project to restore another nipa plantation site in the area. They are
also asking for assistance in developing and marketing their lambanog, vinegar and nipa shingle to bigger market other than middlemen
who buy their products for a very cheap price.
The Bisagu Fisherfolk Association has just planted goodness, their simple ways to help mitigate the effects of changing environment for the
Filipinos.

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