Nickel Asia Corporation - Hinatuan Mining Corporation (NAC-HMC) turns over the Fish Processing Center to Campandan Fisherfolks Association (CAMFISA) as part of its commitment to uplift the lives of the residents of its host communities.
A total of 121 members of the CAMFISA members will benefit from the project turnover. All members of CAMFISA are residents of Sitio Campandan, Barangay Talavera, Tagana-an, Surigao del Norte.
The Fish Processing Center has two main activities in its building - the bottled fish production and dried fish production. Both of which are also provided by the livelihood aspect of the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) of NAC-HMC.
CAMFISA members have also undergone various trainings from government agencies such as Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the support provided by NAC-HMC to develop and enhance their skills in dried and bottled fish productions.
Apart from trainings with government agencies, basic management and bookkeeping trainings were also sponsored by NAC-HMC for CAMFISA members to help ensure the proper management and sustainability of the bottled and dried fish productions project.
CAMFISA President Christopher Madraga is thankful for the project provided by NAC-HMC and also reminded fellow CAMFISA members that they should work together for the good of the project and their organization, saying that “Daku akong pasalamat sa SDMP NAC-HMC. Sa akoang mga kauban sa CAMFISA, kinahanglan kita magtambayayong, mga opisyales man o mga miyembro kinahanglan kita magkahiusa kita aron maglambo sad kita, dili kay mag iyaiya. Apil kita tanan.”
He also added that, “Nindot kaau ang ilaha gihatag na pinaskohan sa ato, daku kaau na proyekto. Akoa lng hangyo sa tanang myembro na mgtinabangay gajud. Sa mga dili pa myembro, pwede na mo mgpa myembro kay mag operation na kita.Manghinaut ko na kini atong dried fish ug bottled fish musustener gajud hangtud sa hangtud para makatagamtam ang atong mga anak, atong mga apo kay alang man pud ini sa nagsunod ug dili lang kay alang kanato karon” (They have given us a wonderful Christmas present, which is a very big project. I ask all members that we should help one another. To those that are still not members, we are inviting you to join us as we will now start our operation. I hope that our dried and bottled fish projects will be sustainable and still be operational in the time not only of our sons and daughters but also in the time of our grandchildren as well. I hope this will happen as this project is also for our future and not only for us).
Barangay Talavera Councilor Eulita C. Borja, who was also present during the turn-over ceremony, also shared the same sentiment of CAMFISA President Madraga, adding that, “You should take care of this project and do everything to help one another as it will be good for your future, and you should also be thankful of the projects provided by NAC-HMC and take care of all of it to sustain the projects.”
