According to a survey conducted by the Philippine Cooperative Authority in 2020, majority of the cooperatives in the country were adversely affected by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduction of their employees, decline in productivity, and decrease in production.[1] Despite the huge impact on their services, cooperatives are continuing as usual, and […]
As the dawn gives way to the rising sun, the fisherfolks in the municipality of Padre Burgos, Quezon are already battling the raging waves of the Philippine Sea to begin their early morning harvest, hoping that they may get a sizeable catch for their families waiting for them in the coast. For these fisherfolks, a […]
Padre Burgos Municipal Mayor Ruben Uy Diokno has committed to support the initiatives of Yakap at Halik Multi-Purpose Cooperative Quezon 2 or Yakap and Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF) in improving the lives of fisherfolks and coconut farmers in the municipality. During the consultation briefing of PEF Senior Area Officer Peter Nabong, Yakap General Manager […]
The Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF) spearheaded a learning exchange in Quezon province last August 30 and 31 for coconut players to discover alternative products to market aside from copra that is suffering from low farm gate prices. Ten participants from the provinces of Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Zamboanga del Norte, and Padre Burgos […]
Since fishing is a seasonal industry, fisherfolks like Enrico De Rama, manager of Aqua, have to look for other sources of income during the months where monsoon winds are prevailing in Tayabas Bay. “Sa panahon ng January to May, ‘kung focus ka talaga sa dagat, kikita ka ng halos PHP 20,000 to PHP 25,000. ‘Pag […]
To add to the meager income she and her husband get from fishing, Myra Suarez Yopyop, 42, had to sell some of their catch to her neighbors. “Ginagawa ko po minsan, kalahating kilo na lang ang binebenta dahil wala talagang bumibili (kapag isang kilo),” she said. “Nung dumating sa’min yung project ng PEF, malaki po […]
“Ang aking kita noon na PHP 200, ngayon PHP 500 (a day) na.” Obet Ocampo, 55, is one of the 24 beneficiaries of fiberglass boats and fishing gears provided by PEF as a subsidized loan. He also manages the fishpond that produces grouper and lapu-lapu. “Dahil mayroon ng fishpond, mayroon kaming pinagkakakitaan kahit hindi kami […]
When Typhoon Glenda struck the province of Quezon in 2014, the office of Yakap at Halik Multi-Purpose Cooperative 2 (YHMPC2), fondly called as Yakap, was razed to the ground, not even office documents and other important files were spared. “Nawash-out yung files. Pati ‘yung soft copies (nawala),” General Manager Armel Amparo recalled. Despite this calamity, […]
With the continuous destruction of marine resources and the corresponding loss of livelihood, a group of 13 fisherfolks banded together in 2009 to protect the municipal waters of Tayabas Bay from illegal fishing. Called Ipil Action Group (IAG), the group relentlessly pursued fisherfolks who engaged in illegal and destructive practices such as dynamite fishing and […]