CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Aug. 4 (PNA) — The provincial government on Tuesday provided assistance to thousands of fisherfolks affected by recent fish kill.
Led by Vice Governor Dennis Pineda, the provincial capitol distributed some PHP2,839,000 worth of food assistance and additional PHP1,419,500 cash assistance to 2,839 fisherfolks in the province’s six towns affected by recent fish kill in Pampanga River.
The fisherfolk-beneficiaries are 490 from Candaba, 147 from San Luis, 556 from San Simon, 650 from Masantol, 254 from Macabebe and 742 from Apalit.
The vice governor urged the recipients and the communities near the Pampanga River to temporarily refrain from eating fish caught from the river while awaiting for the result of the samples of the fish sent to CRL Environmental Corporation in Clark, Angeles City to tests the presence of heavy metals like ammonia, cyanide, lead, mercury and cadmium.
“All aquatic products affected by the recent fish kill must be temporarily banned until the test confirms those are already safe for human consumption. The results of the test is expected to be released within the week,” Pineda said.
It can be recalled that Governor Lilia Pineda has enjoined local chief executives to temporarily prohibit the harvesting and selling of fish and other aquatic products sourced from the upper stream of the Pampanga River.
Meanwhile, the affected fisherfolks thanked Governor Lilia Pineda, Vice Governor Pineda, provincial board members and the mayors for their environmental and health concerns. (PNA)