A TOTAL of 463 crew and manifesto in-charge personnel of phased out wooden-hulled motorbancas received assistance from the Provincial Government of Guimaras.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) facilitated the second batch of distribution of relief packs to 248 crew of Jordan Motorbanca Cooperative (JMBC) at the JMBC Office in Rizal, Jordan, Guimaras on February 8, 2021.

Meanwhile, 215 displaced crew and manifesto in-charge personnel of Buenavista Motorbanca Owners and Sailors Association (Bamosa) received their relief packs at the Bamosa Office in Sto. Rosario, Buenavista on February 5, 2021.

Each relief pack consists 35 kilos of rice and canned goods.

The initiative aims to help the displaced crew and personnel of the wooden-hulled boats plying the Guimaras-Iloilo route vice versa.

The boats were phased out due to the modernization program implemented by the Department of Transportation.

The first batch of distribution was held last January 4 and January 7, 2021 where recipients received 10 kilos of rice and canned goods.

The activity was conducted in compliance with the necessary health and safety protocols to avoid the further spread of Covid-19 and other infectious diseases.

The Provincial Government, headed by Governor Samuel Gumarin, also turned over P6,000,000 to the motorbanca associations on January 13, 2021.

Captain Neri Tejing, president of Bamosa, received the check worth P3,000,000 on behalf of their organization, while Fernando Enalpe, chairman of the Board of Jordan Motorbanca Cooperative (JMBC), received the check amounting to P3,000,000.

The financial assistance given to the motorbanca associations is a counterpart of the Provincial Government for the procurement of additional units of fiberglass vessels to ply the Guimaras-Iloilo route vice versa. (PR)