MANILA, April 16 -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Tuesday launched the Livelihood Activities to Enhance Fisheries Yields and Economic Gains from the West Philippine Sea (LAYAG-WPS) to intensify support to fishers and boost the blue economy.

In a speech during the project launch in Zambales, BFAR director Demosthenes Escoto said the project intends to modernize fishing in areas adjacent to the WPS, including the Ilocos, Central Luzon, and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) regions.

Data show there are more than 300,000 Filipino fishing in WPS areas.

"The DA-BFAR commits to the task of empowering Filipino fisherfolk and ensuring that this program is justly and equitably implemented," he said. ...