MAY 8, 2023 – Mr. Rogelio P. Manlavi, a fisherfolk hailing from Palawan, took his oath of office as the 2023 Regional Fisherfolk director (RFD) under the BFAR-MIMAROPA’s “Mangingisdang Direktor Program” at the BFAR MIMAROPA Regional Office, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. He received the key of responsibility turned-over to him by 2022 RFD Ms. Conchita Q. Roldan. This is in consonance with the celebration of this year’s Farmer’s and Fisherfolk Month with the theme “Masaganang Agrikultura, Maunlad na Ekonomiya”.
The installation of Mr. Manlavi as RFD or Mangingisdang Direktor is pursuant to the Department of Agriculture Special Order No. 88 S. 2005 entitled “Fisherfolk Director for a more Strengthened Partnership in Fisheries Management” which aims to dramatize and popularize the fisherfolk empowerment participation as government partners. For the whole month of May, he will assume the role of a BFAR Director in the implementation and dissemination of the key programs of the agency. However, his authority shall be limited to non-policy determining activities which should not any way affect the government accounting rules and procedures as well as the civil service rules and regulations governing regular government employees.
During the acceptance speech of RFD Manlavi he emphasized the importance of the Bureau’s efforts through livelihood intervention to alleviate poverty among fisherfolk. As a firsthand beneficiary of these interventions, he recognized the importance of the RFD Program as a means to highlight the importance of their sector, “this is a rare opportunity at hindi lahat ay nabibigyan ng ganitong pagkakataon, ….. ang inyong lingkod ay buong pusong susuporta sa lahat ng mga programa o proyekto ng ating kawanihan sapagkat alam natin ang kahalagahan nito”. RFD Manlavi will follow the footsteps of his predecessor Ms. Roldan to further make the fisherfolk of MIMAROPA Region known in the whole country.
Ms. Roldan, on the other hand, has been nominated to be the Region’s representative for the National Fisherfolk Director. During her term, she immersed among the other coastal communities to serve as an avenue to relay the plight of the fisherfolk. As RFD, she participated in various gatherings that mainly focus in food production. She also attended as representative of the fisheries sector in various activities such as Congress and Summits, that tackle concerns in the fishing industry. Ms. Roldan’s efforts during her term as RFD and her long contribution as a fisherfolk have landed her an award as the 2023 Outstanding Woman Fisherfolk in addition to the award granted by the World Wide Fund (WWF) Philippines, Environmental Heroes Award: Women Leader in Conservation.
The program ended with a Closing Remarks from the BFAR MIMAROPA Regional Director Emmanuel H. Asis, DFT, CESE as he affirmed the support of the Bureau and its commitment to deliver projects and services that foremost consider the needs of the fisheries stakeholders.###
