LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—The construction of the Pangasinan Bangus Breeding and Hatchery Project, a World Bank-assisted project worth P238.992 million, will take off in 2024.

This development came after a ceremonial launch of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) scale-up was held on November 6 with no less than Governor Ramon V. Guico III, assisted by Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya and Provincial Planning and Development Office OIC Rowena Ignacio, attending the event on behalf of the province.

The first of its kind in the country, the facility will be established at the agriculture field station located in Brgy. Arnedo in Bolinao town and will enable Pangasinan to produce more than 100 million bangus fry and over 48 million bangus larvae every year.

Envisioned to help address the shortage of bangus fry in the country and sustain fish sufficiency, some 17 municipalities in Pangasinan are expected to benefit from the project, with around 39,399 fishersfolk, 63 bangus nursery operators, and one bangus satellite hatchery operator.

As disclosed by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg), components of the project include seven units of broodstock tanks, 120 units of larval rearing tanks, 24 units of rotifer tanks, an administrative and laboratory building, staff quarters, a triplex building, a two-unit pump house, and an intake pump.

Meanwhile, the PPDO reported that innovative approaches and processes for engaging rural communities, local government units, and national government agencies (NGAs) are currently being initiated.

Aside from the World Bank, which will shoulder 80% of the cost of the project, funds will be jointly undertaken by the national government with a 10% share and the provincial government with 10%.

As reported by the PPDO, the DA has designed the PRDP as one of the platforms for achieving the Philippine Government’s Sustainable Development Goals. Said program has proven its efficacy in providing means to strengthen the capacity of LGUs and proponent groups in improving its agri-fishery industry.

“Given the prevailing need of the agriculture sector to address the gaps in the value chain as well as to improve and modernize the agri-fishery industry, the DA has expanded the PRDP with the institution of PRDP Scale-Up,” the PPDO report stated.

PRDP Scale-Up aims to further support the government’s effort to improve farmers and fishermen’s access to markets as well as increase income from selected agri-fishery value chains.

A report stated that the western towns of Bolinao, Anda, and Sual, which account for about 80% of Pangasinan’s bangus production, still rely on importing fry from Indonesia.

Pangasinan is the country’s leading producer of bangus and has contributed over 28% of the country’s total production (PSA, 2019).

In addition, other scale-up projects in Pangasinan that were also launched include the construction of three units of provincial warehouses with multi-purpose drying pavement located in Barangay Poblacion, Bugallon (P42.082 million); Barangay Tebag East, Sta. Barbara (P42.247 million); and Barangay San Gonzalo, San Quintin (P42.451 million).

The warehouses are envisioned to reduce post-harvest losses and enable the farmers to choose the time of sale of their crops, thus increasing their income as well.

(Ruby R. Bernardino/PIO)