Drying is one of the oldest and simplest methods of preserving fish in the Philippines and the province of Bataan is well known for their dried fish products. To support the local fishermen involved in this industry, the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) approved the construction of a P9.97-million multi-commodity solar tunnel dryer under its infrastructure component, I-BUILD. 

In preparation, the DA-PRDP Regional Project Office 3 (RPCO 3), the Provincial Project Management and Implementation Unit of Bataan, and the contractor, RZ Tigas Construction and Trading, convened for a pre-construction conference. The PRDP staff from RPCO 3 and the Project Support Office (PSO) North Luzon Cluster laid out the requirements in implementing the subproject. 

As proposed by the provincial government of Bataan, the construction of ten units of modern solar tunnel dryer will shorten the time of the drying process, to be followed by the increased volume of fish to be processed. It is expected to directly benefit 40 fishing households in the project influence area by raising their income by 33.33% per annum. Consequently, it would also generate additional income for the municipality of Orion.

This subproject aims to address the limited and unclean drying areas for sardines, which is the priority commodity, as one of the identified constraints in the provincial commodity investment plan. However, other fish commodities will be allowed to be used in the facility. (By: Ram Bautista, InfoACE – RPCO 3)