PILAR, Abra– Two units of fish cage techno-demo projects were installed in Pagada river located in the barangays of Nagcanasan and Ocup which are identified as conflict-affected areas in the province.
RD Lilibeth L. Signey said each unit includes four modules (cages) stocked with 6,000 tilapia fingerlings and bags of feeds intended for three to four months cropping period. “A yield of almost 2 metric tons is projected after four months.”
The effort of establishing a livelihood source was the initiative of the 81st Infantry Battalion during their ‘serbisyo caravan’ last November 24, 2020. Then after, they coordinated with the BFAR’s Provincial Fisheries Office Abra to identify what fishery interventions are feasible in the river.
Four months after, BFAR, LGU-Pilar, in partnership with the Community Support Program of the Charlie Company, 81st Infantry Battalion, 7th Infantry Division, Philippine Army through Commanding Officer 1LT Arthur Rey B. Aranggo, led the stocking of tilapia fingerlings in the river.
Rodelio D. Diaz who represents Nagcanasan fisherfolk group, said the eagerness of putting up a cage started last year since most of the fish supply in their barangay will still come from the town of Bangued—a two hour drive from Pilar with a jitney fare of P400.
“We are very thankful that even in the remotest area in Pilar, our barangay here in Nagcanasan, we are still able to receive livelihood assistance from the government. We hope to have more fishery interventions in our barangay”, Diaz said.
Meanwhile, Juanito D. Dela Cruz Jr. of barangay Ucop said, “we will religiously do the record keeping to show the feasibility of producing fish in our area because we wanted to produce food for our family.”
The tilapia fingerlings were sourced out from San Ramon East, Manabo, Abra through Mr. Lym Pait, fisherfolk beneficiary of the DA-BAR funded research cum extension project implemented by DA-NFRDI, BFAR-NFFTC and BFAR-CAR.
This ELCAC initiative is based on Executive Order No 70 series 2018 institutionalizing the “whole-of-nation” approach to end local insurgency towards the attainment of sustainable and inclusive peace.**Rodelyn Foronda
