OCCIDENTAL MINDORO — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office MIMAROPA, through the Risk Resiliency Program (RRP), in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region IV (BFAR IV), successfully delivered 20,000 tilapia fingerlings to support Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) in selected municipalities of Occidental Mindoro on 8 May 2025.

Benefitting the fingerlings were the municipalities of Abra de Ilog, Paluan, and Santa Cruz while BFAR IV provided a brief orientation for the partner-beneficiaries and members of the RRP Technical Working Group (TWG).

The orientation covered tilapia cultivation techniques and proper record-keeping procedures to ensure smooth documentation and future requests for additional fingerlings after harvest.

Project LAWA at BINHI is a DSWD-led initiative aimed at improving water resource management and food production in drought-prone regions.

At the same time, BFAR plays a vital role by supplying fingerlings and offering expert guidance to support the “LAWA” (fish breeding) component which enables local communities to cultivate their own fish, significantly bolstering food security and resilience during periods of drought.