Group urges oil subsidy for Filipino fishermen

Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) urged the Philippine legislature to allocate the remaining US$746 million of the US$1.8 billion Malampaya gas fund to the country’s small fishery industry. Some government sectors have indicated that the Malampaya funds should be used to modernize the country’s military. Fernando Hicap, chairman of Pamalakaya, said that the funds should instead assist the fisheries industry in coping with high petroleum prices and the increasing cost of fishing equipment. Pamalakaya proposed that all fishermen who own motorized bancas should receive a minimum of US$109 monthly and that fisherman with non-motorized bancas should receive US$47 per month to offset their fuel costs. Hicap said that should his group’s proposal be approved, the fuel subsidy would help approximately 313,985 small fishing boat operators. (July 10, 2011)