Approximately PHP1.2 million worth of fuel assistance was distributed to about 400 small-scale fishers in Salcedo, Eastern Samar on Monday under the government’s Fuel Discount for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (FDFFP) Caravan.

In a statement Tuesday, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 8 (Eastern Visayas) said each beneficiary received a fuel discount card worth PHP3,000 for gasoline to support their daily fishing operations.

The distribution took place at the Salcedo municipal covered court as part of a national effort to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs on the local fishing industry.

“The FDFFP aims to provide immediate relief to farmers and fishers affected by increasing fuel prices, enabling them to sustain their livelihoods despite current economic challenges,” BFAR-8 said in a statement.

Following the Salcedo leg, fisherfolk from the towns of Guiuan, Mercedes, and Quinapondan are scheduled to undergo the mandatory know-your-client process and receive their discount cards on the second day of the caravan.

Eastern Samar currently has the highest number of recipients in the region for the third tranche of the program, with 3,344 beneficiaries. (PNA)