SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) — The fisherfolk of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan ng Sta. Teresa in Magsaysay harvested their first batch of bangus (milkfish) on April 11, 2025, hauling more than two tons from one of four fish cages awarded to them by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
The intervention, under the Aquaculture and Mariculture Expansion and Invigoration Project, aims to enhance the country’s fish food sufficiency, BFAR MIMAROPA Regional Director Roberto Abrera explained during the turnover ceremony in December 2024.
Four months after the turnover, the association harvested 2,053 kilograms of marketable-sized bangus in this batch’s yield.
“Ako po’y nagpapasalamat sa BFAR sa kabuuan ng [aming] asosasyon…ako poy nagpapasalamat sa inyo pong lahat at nag-gabay sa amin. Marami pong matutulungan [itong proyekto] balang araw,” Majito Dela Cruz, chairperson of the association, said.
(I express my gratitude to BFAR, on behalf of our associations, and to those who guided us. This project will bless many others in the future.)
Focusing on growing their venture, the group agreed to use the earnings from this initial harvest to cover the next production cost.
“Kapag umani kami [ulit] at umangat na talaga, doon kami magkaroon ng [bahagi] bawat isa,” Dela Cruz shared.
(On our next harvest and our earnings grow, that is when each of us will have our shares.)
The remaining cages are scheduled for harvest in the following months, he said.
Moving forward, the BFAR, as per the request of the Local Government Unit, plans to conduct an environmental survey in the area to explore more spots where the group could place the fish cages for maximum yield.
Also, BFAR plans to provide value-adding training for the association when its production becomes bountiful.
The town of Magsaysay is the first municipality in the MIMAROPA region to receive such a project, which comprises four 10-meter wide fish aggregating devices, bangus fingerlings, feeds and capacity-building training, equivalent to ₱10 million. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA-Occidental Mindoro)
