GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 29 July) – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 12 is targeting a significant increase in the region’s fisher folk registration records with the rollout in the area of its enhanced computerized registration and database system.
Antonio Gepte V, BFAR Region 12 acting assistant regional director, said they distributed to local government units (LGUs) in the region a new computer program that was designed to improve its fisher folk registration (fishR) system.
Dubbed Data Entry Terminal (DET), he said the computer program was recently incorporated into the fishR system to help enhance and rationalize the registration process.
He said DET mainly allows the entry and saving of the required registration data with the use of simple data memory gadgets like flash drives and without the need for Internet connection.
“Once Internet connection is already available, the saved data could be transferred to our online registration database using the DET,” Gepte explained.
The official said the use of the DET will not only help fast track the region’s ongoing fisher folk registration, which is being facilitated by the LGUs, but will ensure the gathering of quality data.
A report released by BFAR-12 showed that around 30,000 fisher folk in the region have been so far registered into the fishR system.
Gepte said records showed that Bicol Region currently leads the nationwide fisher folk registration with over 115,000 registrants.
BFAR central office earlier announced that the first 100 LGUs in the country that will complete the registration of their fisher folk will get incentives in the form of P2-million worth of projects.
“With the distribution of DET programs in the LGUs, our registration figures could double or even triple in the next two months,” Gepte said.
To ensure its proper use, the official said they earlier gathered fishR coordinators of the region’s LGUs for an orientation and demonstration of the new computer program.
He said copies of the DET program were also distributed for the immediate installation and adoption by the LGUs.
BFAR launched the massive registration of fisher folk last year to facilitate the proper extension of various government services to the sector.
Ambutong Pautong, BFAR-12 director, said the simplified registration process will help the government update its registry and eventually strengthen its assistance programs for the sector.
He said the collected registration data, especially those involving the “subsistence fisher folk,” will later comprise the comprehensive fishery information system that will be used in the crafting of assistance programs for the sector.
Pautong said the registered fisher folk will be issued later on with official identification cards through their respective local government units.