The Bolo Bongalon Magsaysay Dulig San Gonzalo Agrarian Reform Community Multi-purpose Cooperative (BOMADUS MPC) of Labrador, Pangasinan head starts the year with the receipt of its Production and Marketing of Fingerlings and Marketable Size Bangus Enterprise from the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in an awarding ceremony at the Amado Espino Gym, Bugallon, Pangasinan on February 28, 2019.

The BOMADUS MPC’s bangus enterprise will operate through a grow-now-pay-later scheme. Bangus growers can avail fingerlings and feeds from the enterprise and pay the cost of the availed items after harvesting grown bangus. The bangus enterprise has a total investment cost of Php4,405,137.00 including BOMADUS’ 20% counterpart in-kind and in cash.

During the awarding, BOMADUS MPC received a six-wheeler delivery/hauling truck, production inputs, and various farm equipment and machineries. It is yet to receive a Php550,300 trading capital which will be used for buying the bangus production of its members/partners.

The BOMADUS MPC has an existing network of markets within Ilocos Region. However, the delivery and hauling of the members’ bangus production remain to be a challenge.

According to BOMADUS’ Vice Chairperson Lourdes Fernandez, “Mahirap mag-renta (ng truck). Iyon ang malaking gastusin ng mga fisher owner. Kaya itong project na ito talagang napakalaking benepisyo ang tatanggapin po namin.”  [It is hard to rent trucks. That is the biggest expense for fish owners. So this project that we received is really a great help for us.]

Pangasinan is the country’s largest supplier of bangus (milkfish). However, the Bangus Value Chain Analysis of the Luzon A Cluster revealed that the industry remains in fragmented small scale production; bangus growers have low uptake of improved technologies; and that growers have difficulty in accessing extension services necessary to improve pond productivity, fish quality, and compliance to food safety and sustainability standards. Through the bangus enterprise, the BOMADUS MPC targets to answer the gaps and expand the industry’s market reach to the entire country and even abroad.

After the award of the enterprise, the next milestone for the BOMADUS MPC is reaching its target socio-economic impact in the community. The PRDP will soon conduct a Raid Market Appraisal of Emerging Benefits among the members of the BOMADUS MPC to gauge its accomplishments. #Dessa U. Estrada, RPCO 1 InfoACE