Aboitiz Group launches “Project Banca” to aid fishermen in Cebu recover from Odette

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – The Aboitiz Group provided 60 fishing boats/bancas to fishermen in Talisay City and Liloan town in Cebu through its “Project Banca”, a recovery and assistance program for the fisheries sector that sustained damages after Typhoon Odette with over 3,245 boats damaged across the Central Visayas Region affecting 9,000 families.

“Project Banca” is part of the Aboitiz Group’s #RebuildCebu Campaign to help in the recovery of Typhoon Odette devastated areas in Cebu province through livelihood programs. 

The project aims to revive the livelihood of the fishermen to enable them to go back fishing. The project as launched on April 4 in Talisay City with the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the turnover of the initial 30 new bancas to the city’s identified beneficiaries and on April 5, another MOA was signed for 30 more fishing boats for Liloan town fishermen.

“Project Banca” is supported by the Aboitiz Group, Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. with Cebu-based Aboitiz business units namely AboitizLand, Inc. and Visayan Electric in partnership with the local government units of Liloan and Talisay City.

Talisay City mayor Anthony Gerard Gullas thanked the Aboitiz Group for this project and also recognized the Visayan Electric because among all the municipalities and cities within its franchise area, Talisay City was one of the cities where they first extended help.

“Since the typhoon when the electric posts were lying on the streets, Visayan Electric was always in close coordination with the local government and has now restored electricity to 99.9% of all the consumers in Talisay,” Gullas shared in his acceptance message during the event.

As part of the MOA, Talisay City LGU facilitated the banca’s registration and application for insurance under the City’s Agriculture Office to ensure the sustainability of the project in case of other fortuitous events. 

The Talisay City Agriculture Office shall conduct monitoring activities to ensure that the bancas are well maintained and proper safekeeping measures are regularly observed by the beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, Liloan mayor Cristina Frasco also expressed her gratitude to Aboitiz, which has been supporting Liloan not just with projects such as this but also institutional projects.  “On behalf of the people of Liloan, please accept and convey my gratitude for your help for the 30 fishing boats which we will turn over to the members of the fishermen’s association.”

Liloan LGU will likewise turn over the donated bancas to the members of the 10 fishermen associations that will take charge of the maintenance and proper usage of the bancas.

Aboitiz Foundation AVP Danilo Cerence said that with the business units Visayan Electric and AboitizLand, the team were mobilized to raise funds for this project to enable coastal communities to go back to fishing and have their livelihood back.

“We would like to thank the Local Fisheries Office, the Department of Agriculture, the fisherfolks association and the Mayor’s office of Talisay and Liloan for extending their support for this project,” Cerence added.

The MOA signing of both LGUs were witnessed by the mayors, vice-mayors, local council committee chair for Agriculture, officials of the Aboitiz Group, Aboitiz Foundation, Visayan Electric and some fishermen beneficiaries. (Photos: Aboitiz/Google Images)