Enrico De Rama, a father of three from Brgy. Walay, Padre Burgos, Quezon, used to worry about what to feed his family every day. Enrico’s income as a fisherman is unstable as it largely depends on how his catch will turn out and how it will sell in the market. To sustain his family, Enrico had to work out at sea every day.

“Umaabot sa PhP400.00 ang kita ko kapag maganda ang huli. Pero hindi ko masasabing sapat ang aking kita noon, kundi, pinagkakasya lang. Kung ano lang talaga ang mahuhuli ko sa dagat at maiibenta ko sa palengke noon, ay ‘yun lamang ang maipapangtaguyod ko sa aking pamilya,” Enrico shared.

Although Enrico managed to provide for his family despite his situation, he wanted more for his children who are still attending school. To improve his livelihood, Enrico joined the Yakap at Halik Multipurpose Cooperative and took out a loan. The cooperative also led him to become a beneficiary of the Marine Cage Culture of Lapu-lapu enterprise subproject of the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP).

The subproject, implemented in 2017, aimed to reinforce the fishing industry in Padre Burgos and uplift the lives of the local fisherfolk by providing them quality fingerlings, fish cages, feeds and other inputs, technical assistance, market opportunities, and many more. 

According to Enrico, the subproject significantly changed their livelihood for the better. Since they are raising the fish this time, the volume and quality of their catch and their earnings are almost guaranteed. Gone are the days when they have to gamble their time, energy, and resources on whatever they may catch from the sea every day.

Aside from production, the subproject also helped Enrico and his fellow fisherfolk improve the marketing aspect of their livelihood. Since they mainly sell lapu-lapu, a more marketable fish than their typical catch, their earnings have increased and become more stable. Meanwhile, they also found regular and bigger customers who buy their catch in bulk, saving them money and time from transporting and selling their fish in the market.

“Hindi na kami mag-aalala kung may mapapagbentahan ba kami o kung magkano ang kikitain naming sa araw-araw. Sa isang harves, myay panggastos na kaming pangmatagalan, di tulad ng dati na isang kahig, isang tuka,” Enrico shared.

Almost five years since the subproject’s implementation, Enrico and his fellow members have significantly improved their livelihood. Using their earnings, Enrico’s cooperative bought additional fish cages and inputs to expand their production. They also bought fish ponds and fiberglass boats which now serve as their alternative sources of income. Meanwhile, some members also established microenterprises of their own, such as sari-sari stores, to stabilize their finances further.

“Nagbigay daan ‘yung proyekto sa amin na makapagtayo pa ng iba pang negosyo nang sa gayon ay magtuloy-tuloy po ang aming kita kahit hindi pa ready ang aming lapu-lapu. ‘Yung asawa ng ibang members ay nagkaroon din ng pagkakaabalahan at dagdag kita kahit nasa bahay lamang,” Enrico added.

As a result of years of hardwork and dedication, Enrico and his members improved their families’ living quality. He can now provide for his family’s needs and continue his children’s education with more ease. He also improved the conditions of their house and bought a motorcycle to make everyday life more comfortable and convenient. 

The DA-PRDP is designed to establish a modern, climate-smart, and market-oriented agri-fishery sector in the country. Jointly funded by the World Bank and the national government, it aims to provide key infrastructure, facilities, technology, and information to target stakeholders to help raise their incomes, productivity, and competitiveness.