The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Regional Fisheries Office 1, holds a training on Postharvest Technology in Bangus Bottling and Regulatory for fisherfolk association beneficiaries in Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur, on February 18-21, 2025, through the National Bangus Development Program (NBDP).

“Tatta nga tiyempo ti rigat, BFAR is doing its best to reach everybody, that’s the reason why, sitayo kumma met, agkaykaysa tayo, haan tayo lang iappreciate ti inted da.” (𝘈𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘉𝘍𝘈𝘙 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥), said Bienvenida Ragudos, one of the enthusiastic participants and a retired government official, expressing heartfelt gratitude for the support that has empowered their community.

“Laglagepen ‘yu ah nagited da ti seed money, as well as utensils nga usaren tayu. Sitayu laengen ti kurang ‘nan; how committed we are in making use of the technology, utensils, and machines that they had given us.” (𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺, 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴),” she added.

Municipal Mayor Edgar Rapanut also expressed his gratitude to BFAR for providing income opportunities for his constituents.

With 30 participants, the program involves three days of lectures and hands-on demonstration through the bureau’s technical personnel.

Topics include profiling, values and organization enhancement, food safety guidelines, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and basic HALAL concepts. Food safety regulations and standards, transboundary requirements, and traceability were also tackled, which are essential for local and even international marketing of bangus processed products.

Chief-RFTFCD Atty. Girly G. Dela Peña provided participants with financial literacy and business skills through the Fish’ N Learn game.

Furthermore, a hands-on session on bangus bottling immersed participants in fish processing techniques, equipping them with essential skills and transforming their learning experience into a practical endeavor.

Led by OIC-Provincial Officer/NBDP Regional Focal Antonieta D. Evangelista, the training program was facilitated by the Regional Fisheries Training and Fisherfolk Coordination Division (RFTFCD), the Fisheries Production and Support Services Division (FPSSD), the Fisheries Inspection and Quarantine Unit (FIQU), who served as learning service providers; together with the support of the Provincial Fisheries Office-Ilocos Sur led by Martin Allayban.

OIC-Municipal Agriculturist Fevi Jean Rabanal and staff also participated in the training, inspiring participants to gain the essential skills needed to sustain and elevate their livelihood.