Big, Small Brother! Investors Share, Transfer Aqua Technology To Locals

Parang, Maguindanao – The first Aquaculture Project in the Bangsamoro Region to be established by a group of investors whom I had personally invited will be a model of a “Big Brother-Small Brother” approach where advanced fish farming technology would be shared with local fisherfolk families.

Next Wednesday, I will present to the Sangguniang Bayan of Parang the proposed Fish Cage Farming Project which I and a group of retired US Navy officers of Filipino ancestry will establish in Illana Bay, near the Port of Polloc.

In the project design which I personally conceptualized, the investors group which will set up an aqua feed mill, ice plant, cold storage equipment and processing and packaging facilities will engage local fishfolk families by sharing technology and providing a ready market for their produce.

To contribute to the economic growth of the community, the investors group will ask the local government unit of Parang led by Mayor Cahar Ibay to establish a fish market where local residents could buy Bangus or milkfish at farm gate prices.

I will also propose on Wednesday that the Parang LGU declare a closed fishing season at least three months of every year to allow local species to spawn with the assurance that fish produced from the fish cages would fill up the local requirements.

Last Monday, I joined the technical team from Inca Mariculture Plastics Company which fabricates and sets up fish cages and local officials of Parang led by Vice Mayor Adnan Biruar in a site inspection of the proposed fish cage farming area.

The Inca team led by its officer, Jonathan Cabasas, declared that the Illana Bay is ideal for fish cage farming because it is protected from big waves by Bongo Island and the area has no history of typhoons.

When approved by the Parang SB on Wednesday and endorsed to Mayor Ibay for his signature, the first Bangsamoro Fish Cage Farming Project is set to commence 2nd Quarter of 2022.

#KungGustoMaramingParaan!

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!

(Video was prepared by the media team of the Biyaheng Senado ni Manny Piñol. Thank you to the BARMM Ministry of Health for allowing the team to borrow the Sea Ambulance Speed Boat for the site inspection.)