Nickel Asia Corporation - Hinatuan Mining Corporation (NAC-HMC) formally turned over Bangus Production Project to the United Fisherfolks Association of Bagong Silang (UFAOBS) last January 22, 2020 during the turnover ceremony as part of the company’s commitment to contribute to a brighter future for our communities.
UFAOBS members will benefit from the P2-million Bangus Production Project funded by the Livelihood Assistance Program of NAC-HMC under its 2019 Social Development and Management Program (SDMP).
Prior to the turn over, a total of 36,000 Bangus fingerlings were transferred to the two (2) fish cages installed in Lo-oc, Sitio Bagong Silang, Talavera, Tagana-an, Surigao del Norte. The number of Bangus fingerlings that was initially agreed upon was 30,000; the surplus 6,000 is to account for possible mortality caused by stress from long travel.
Construction materials for the fish cage and feeds for the fingerlings were also part of the support provided by NAC-HMC to the Bangus Production Project.
NAC-HMC also tapped the services of personnel from Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region-XIII to provide training for UFAOBS members. The Technical Training on Bangus Culture in Marine Fish Cage was conducted last January 8-10, 2020 to help prepare the project recipients.
As a counterpart for the support given by NAC-HMC, UFAOBS members helped with manpower and transportation for the completion of the Bangus Production Project.
UFAOBS President Lilibeth G. Becera was thankful for the support provided by NAC-HMC and BFAR XIII, “Sa mga personahe sa Hinatuan, salamat karajaw sa mga advice. Hinaut unta dili kamo makuli sa pagtabang sa amo. Sa mga taga BFAR sa training ug sa paghatag ng mga dugang na impormasyon para sa pagbuhi sa bangus" (To the staff of Hinatuan, thank you for the advices. I hope that you will not stop in helping us. To BFAR, for the training they conducted and the additional information they provided on how to take care of Milkfish).
Morever, Mrs. Becera added that, “Amo ini pagadawatun kay daku jud ini na tabang sa amo ug sa amo mga myembro. Amo paningkamutan na mahalutayun ini na project kay para ra man pud ini sa amo karajawan sa umaabot” (We will receive this project since this will greatly help us and the families of our members. We will strive to sustain this project since this project is intended to provide us for our future).
“Sa ako ka-myembro, hinaut tana dili sab ta maisab, magtinabangay ta para mahalutayun, magmalambuon ug masuccessful ang atong project. Daku ini na katabang sa ato ug sa atong tagsa tagsa ka pamilya”, (To my fellow members, I hope that you will never change and that we will help one another in sustaining and improving our project for it to be successful), she also added.
