In response, Atty. Baltazar gave her appreciation to the participating offices. She
added that the office’s Mandate will continue to better serve amidst lack of human
resource. The CHR will remain as the watchdog of the government offices but more
so will provide preventive measures in the middle of misconceptions and other
unnecessary manifestations. Atty. Baltazar also reiterated the prevention of Gender
bias in all offices through CHR promotional Activities and gender orientations.
After the introduction of participating offices, the Focus Group Discussion and
Interview then followed. Personal answers were written on sheets of paper to each
corresponding questions. The following information were gathered accordingly.
1. Situationer of women fisherfolks
● Does the office have sex disaggregated data of fisherfolks in the region? How
many are the recorded women fisherfolks?
● Based on agency data, what the current state of fisherfolks in the region?
(explore kinds of fishing, numbers, income of the sector)
● What issues of fisherfolks are particular to the region?
● What about women fisherfolks? Are they recognized as fisherfolks
independent from their fisherman husbands?
● Does the agency have data on GBV/trafficking in fishing communities? What
are the identifiable trends?
On the situationer of women fisherfolks, the participating offices have no sex
disaggregated data on women fisherfolks. According to the Municipal Agriculture
Office of Victoria, there is no agency data about the current state of women
fisherfolks. Illegal fishing was the most common issue encountered by the
municipality, there was no ordinance made and implemented in this municipal
issue. Data on gender-based violence is also not present. There is no identified
human trafficking in this fishing communities. The Department of Agrarian
Reform has its focus on the farmers and therefore lack the data on the women
fisherfolks situation.
According to Sir Isagani Placido, “Women Fisherfolks could be recognized as
independent from their fisherfolk husbands because of their differences in the
roles they play. Women fisherfolks could be involved in managing the house and
in selling the catch of their husbands while the fisherfolk husbands are mainly
concerned with the actual fishing activity.”
2. Policies and Programs;
● Are there policies adopted by the agency pertaining to fisherfolks? Women
fisherfolks?
● What are the general programs of the agency for fisherfolks before the ECQ?
● Are there specific programs for women fisherfolks in accordance with the
MCW?
● Does the sector currently benefit (in terms of program and benefits) from the
GAD budget of the agency?