MASANTOL -- More than just a traditional activity, the local government of Masantol took another step in showing its gratitude to the Pampanga River for the year-round bountiful harvest of its people.
On Sunday, local officials headed by Mayor Danilo Guintu, residents and patrons joined the annual fluvial parade where the image of St. Michael the Archangel onboard a barge was paraded around the coastal villages at the right bank portion of this town.
The annual activity, which was said to have been initiated in 1988, was aimed showcasing the unity of locals, while expressing their gratitude to the town's patron saint and to the Rio Grande de Pampanga.
But this year's fluvial parade was made more significant and special with the conduct of tilapia fingerlings dispersal at the town's portion of Pampanga River, particularly in its coastal villages.
Together with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Central Luzon led by Regional Director Wilfredo Cruz, almost 300,000 tilapia fingerlings were released in the river waters during the fluvial parade.
"Masantoleno's main source of livelihood is fishing and Pampanga River has been very generous to us in terms of seafoods harvest and to show our thanksgiving, we released new fingerlings to enrich our river," Guintu said.
Aside from this, Guintu said that the activity also aims to sustain the rich activity of the rivers as well as the creatures living in it, and let the future generation experience its beauty and generosity.
"We are not only preserving but also giving back to our river by adding more fish so that our future generation can still experience fishing and taste our delicious and world-class seafood," he said.
Meanwhile, Cruz explained that the communal fingerlings dispersal was conducted under BFAR's "Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa" program which is in support of the local fisherfolk and fishpond operators in town.
He also lauded the local government, especially Guintu, for its continuous effort to protect and preserve the Pampanga River and the fish and other water creatures in it.
"We are also thankful to the local government of Masantol for their efforts to support us in our mandate to protect, preserve and enrich our waters," he said.
