Balik Bugsay Boat Turnover by BPI Foundation in partnership with Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc

Coastal towns located in the south of Cebu were one of the heaviest hit places when Typhoon Odette swept across the region. With gusts of up to 260km/h, homes were flattened, and several thousands of families were displaced. For the fisherfolk community, their situation was especially dire as their means of livelihood, their fishing boats, were completely destroyed by the strong winds and waves.
A study by World Bank revealed that 26 million people across the globe are pushed into poverty each year due to extreme natural disasters. In an effort to minimize the disruption to livelihood caused by the typhoon, BPI Foundation, in partnership with RAFI, launched the Balik Bugsay project. Through this project, a total of 41 fisherfolk from the towns of Sibonga, Pinamungajan, Alcantara, and Barili were provided with brand-new fishing boats. Although this may just be a fraction of what was lost to the typhoon, we hope that with these boats, these 41 fishermen may now continue to provide for their families in the same way that they once did.