DTI PROVIDES EQUIPMENT ON BANGUS PROCESSING

First row, left to right: Ms. Maria Lourdes Campion of BFAR-NMC, Ms. Gina Floren of Cagangohan Women's Association, OIC Romeo L. Castañaga of DTI-Davao del Norte and Ms. Judith Lee of LGU Panabo inked the Memorandum of Agreement and Usufruct Agreement for the turn-over of  Bangus Processing Facilities witnessed by (2nd row, left to right) Elmer Gingos of DTI-Davao del Norte, Division Chief Marie Ann J. How, Officer in Charge Maria Belenda Q. Ambi of DTI-Regional Office XI and DTI Undersecretary for Regional Operations Zenaida Cuison-Maglaya.

The Department of Trade and Industry – Davao del Norte Provincial Office recently provided fisherfolks from the Cagangohan Women’s Association (CWA) of Panabo City, Inc. set of equipment for Bangus Processing in a bid to improve their product quality and production capacity, through the BFAR National Mariculture Center (NMC), the project proponent.

This is made possible through the agency’s Shared Service Facilities (SSF) Program which aims to eliminate bottlenecks in the production process of MSMEs by providing necessary tools and facilities which are otherwise not readily affordable for small entrepreneurs.

The CWA, assisted by  the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – National Mariculture Center (BFAR-NMC) currently produces bottled bangus in corn oil, deboned bangus and bangus belly. Aside from these, they also sell lumpia and empanada made from bangus which is now gaining acceptance in the province and other places in Region XI. With the equipment provided consisting of 2 pressure cookers, 1 vacuum sealer machine,  2 chest-type freezers, and 1 stainless fish processing deboning table with a total cost amounting to Php300,000.00, said machineries are deemed essential for the improvement on the quantity and quality of processed bangus products being produced by the association.

DTI Undersecretary for Regional Operations Zenaida Cuison-Maglaya,  DTI-XI Officer in-Charge Maria Belenda Ambi, OIC Romeo L. Castañaga of DTI-Davao del Norte, Ms. Maria Lourdes Campion of BFAR-NMC and Ms. Judith Lee of LGU Panabo graced the turn-over and launching ceremony of the said SSF last June 24, 2015 at the Fish Processing Training and Demonstration Center in Panabo Mariculture Park, Cagangohan, Panabo City.

The Shared Service Facilities for Bangus Processing turned-over by DTI to the proponent BFAR-NMC consisting of 2 pressure cookers, 1 vacuum sealing machine, 2 chest-type freezers and 1 deboning table.

In her message, Usec. Maglaya emphasized the impact of these Shared Service Facilities to the families of fishermen in Cagangohan which is estimated to double or even triple the amount of their earnings. She also said that with this venture, the women of the community can now assist their husbands in providing food on the table and the education of their children with the income they will derive from bangus processing.

DTI – Davao del Norte targets at least 18 CWA members who are mostly fisherfolk housewives to benefit from this project. Also, with a projected increase in production capacity and gross sales of 40% - 75% per month, more jobs can be generated for the women of Brgy. Cagangohan. The agency also aims to expand their market from local to international.

The Bottled Bangus, one of the products of the Cagangohan Womens Association under the assistance of BFAR-NMC.