To strengthen support for fisherfolk in remote communities and ensure transparent and updated beneficiary records, the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) Caraga, through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Phase II, in coordination with the Provincial Fisheries Office of Dinagat Islands, conducted series of monitoring, profiling, and reprofiling activities across the province in February 2026.

Part of the program’s social preparation component, the activities focused on collecting and validating key beneficiary data—such as personal profiles, income, and livelihood sources—to ensure accurate records, monitor project implementation, and guide the timely provision of appropriate assistance under SAAD Phase II.

The initiative began on February 11 with reprofiling for 20 members of the New Mabuhay Fisherfolk Association (NMFA), along with profiling 30 additional members in Barangay New Mabuhay, Municipality of Dinagat, to secure complete and accurate beneficiary records.

Sixteen (16) members of the Dinagat Sea Master Fisherfolk Association (DISEMAFA) underwent reprofiling to validate records, assess the status of previously distributed projects, and identify current needs and concerns on the following day.

Activities continued on February 13 in Sitio Tabok, Barangay Imelda, Municipality of Tubajon, where the team monitored the lobster production project and reprofiled 25 members of the Fisherfolk and Agricultural Farmers in Sitio Tabok (FAST). An on-site assessment was conducted to evaluate project progress, beneficiary compliance, and emerging issues requiring support.

From February 18 to 19, validation and profiling extended to additional members of the Sitio Babangnan Fisherfolk Organization (SBFO) in Sitio Babangnan, Barangay Imelda, Tubajon. Thirty new members were validated as prospective recipients of 15 additional fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) boats, while 18 existing members were reprofiled to update records and assess previously distributed assistance.

Now in its fourth year of implementation, DA-BFAR Caraga continues to expand its reach across covered municipalities in Dinagat Islands, strengthening and capacitating fisherfolk associations through responsive fisheries interventions designed to address the specific needs of beneficiaries.