THE Provincial Government of Davao Oriental plans to organize all their boat builders so the help that will be given to them will be more efficient.

During the Kapehan sa PIA press conference held last Friday, June 8, Chief of Staff of the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental Ednar Dayanghirang said they plan to have someone build lantangan (big, mother boats) that will be distributed to the coastal communities of Davao Oriental especially in Governor Generoso. This is in connection to their goal of improving the tuna industry in their province by capacitating their fisherfolks.

He said they have already contacted a local boatmaker who is from Governor Generoso who will do the job. He said he had heard of this boat maker before and was very glad he was able to trace his whereabouts himself. He also noted that the boatmaker is registered with the Maritime Industry Authority. However, with this project of providing lantangan to the fisherfolks, Dayanghirang said they would also want to reach out to their boatmakers as well.

“I think it’s quite unfair for them. They’re the ones making our big boats in the province and yet they do not have boats of their own that they can use for fishing. We are looking forward now to organizing and gathering them. And for every boat project that we ask of them, we are going to give them one boat as well,” he said.

Dayanghirang has yet to give exact number of the boat makers in the province as they are yet to meet all of them together.

“We want our help to the fisherfolks and the fishing industry in the province to be inclusive so we are also going to help the boat makers as well,” he said.