JORDAN, Guimaras – The economically displaced crew of wooden-hulled boats grounded by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will get help from the provincial government of Guimaras.
“Probably livelihood assistance ang ihatag,” Vice Gov. John Edward Gando told Panay News.
On Jan. 1, MARINA stopped the operation of all wooden-hulled boats servicing the Iloilo City – Guimaras route and vice versa.
Their Certificate of Public Convenience already expired and the agency has no plan to renew them, citing its modernization program phasing out wooden boats due to safety concerns.
But not all of the displaced boatmen may be able to avail themselves of livelihood assistance. Those who were able to secure employment with modernized motorboats won’t.
Some 400 boatmen were adversely affected by the MARINA order, data from the provincial government showed.
Gov. Samuel Gumarin is currently discussing with the Provincial Economic Development Office what other assistance may be given to the boatmen.
On Jan. 6 Gumarin also conferred with officials of the Department of Labor and Employment – Guimaras Field Office, Department of Trade and Industry, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
According to Gando, immediately after the boats’ grounding, the provincial government released an initial assistance to the boatmen – 10 kilos of rice subsidy to each of them.
Currently, only 10 vessels are servicing the Iloilo City – Guimaras route. These are six fiberglass motorboats, two roll on, roll off vessels and two steel-hulled boats./PN
