The Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Isabela with its head, Mr. Ric Justice E. Angobung, the Municipal Local Government of Cordon headed by Mayor Lynn Zuniega, and the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO 2) with RTD Rose Mary G. Aquino spearheaded on May 13, 2020, the groundbreaking ceremonies of the Tilapia Fingerlings Production and Marketing Enterprise proposed by Wigan Settlers Multipurpose Cooperative (WSMPC) in Wigan, Cordon, Isabela.

“This is another subproject that would benefit the cooperative and the town of Cordon. We thank DA PRDP for this partnership. Many more are ongoing and the rest have already been completed,” Angobung said.

“I am elated that this subproject has finally taken off on the very grounds of Cordon.  The groundbreaking ceremonies will mark the commencement of the project,” Zuniega quipped.

“We look forward to the completion of the subproject. I challenge the proponent group to work double-time and make this business venture to help more people as the enterprise will become operational,” RTD Aquino said in her message.

“This is the 34^th subproject of the PGI and there are others which are being proposed,” Ms. Sally Valencia, Isabela PRDP Action Officer said.

“All subprojects in Isabela now amount to 578 million pesos.”

The 23 million pesos worth I-REAP subproject of the Provincial Government of Isabela (PGI) bankrolled by the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) and the World Bank with a counterpart from the PGI and the Proponent Group aims to upgrade fingerlings production by hatching sex-reversed tilapia fries.

The civil works which amount to 13 million pesos located in Villa Marzo include conditioning tanks and concrete ponds. A warehouse will also be constructed with sorting, weighing, and packing areas.

Production support includes 20 million pesos worth of equipment, nets, weighing scales, generators, carts, aerators, and the procurement of two (2) flexi-trucks.

A pre-construction conference followed at the cooperative’s main office in Wigan where the components and units of RPCO 2 discussed compliances needed during and after the construction phase. The notice of award (NOA) was given to AHB Construction, the lowest responsive bidder. (Ferdinand N Cortez, RPCO2 InfoACE Unit)