EVERY municipality in the whole country, especially those near the coastal areas and host to fishing communities have organized what is popularly called as fisheries and aquatic resources municipal council.

The idea is to organize fisherfolks (which include the fishermen themselves, their spouses and other people in the fisheries sector) for livelihood projects, technical and financial assistance.

Afterwards, these municipal FARM-C’s are organized into a provincial federation, which, normally are composed of officials of the municipal FARM-C.

Many of these FARM-C’s, after being organized received the needed assistance from the government, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) technicians assigned in their respective municipalities.

One of these active and very promising fisherfolk organization is the Los Baños FARM-C. Aside from projects that redound to the benefit of their members, they launched last month a project that benefits not only fisherfolks, but ordinary people alike. Students are also benefited.

The project is called "Pasyal Lawa", basically a tourism program where interested individuals can take a short tour of Laguna de Bay within the confines of Los Baños. FARM-C members underwent training on first aid basics, navigation safety, as well as tourism promotion. Participants wear life vests on-board.

At a cost of P10.00 per student, and P50 for other categories (local or foreign tourists), participants board wooden boats and navigate around the municipal waters of Los Baños. During the entire trip, they are briefed on different historical sites that dot the coastline, such as the house of Gen. Paciano Rizal, the old port now located within the confines of Agua Santa Resort, and many others. The tour takes more or less one hour.