The provincial office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Batangas has purchased an electric-powered fish dryer for Tanauan City fishers to ensure they will have a steady source of livelihood during the rainy season.
In an interview on Thursday, John Maico Hernandez, senior science specialist and project coordinator at the Provincial Science and Technology Office (PSTO), said the government has just extended a grant to the Tanauan City Fishermen Marketing Cooperative (TCFMC) so they will not be limited to the traditional sun-drying process for producing dried fish.
The TCFMC received an array of equipment, including an upgraded fish dryer, an eight-layer storage rack, basins and forceps for fish deboning, all made possible through the DOST-Batangas grant, he said.
“The DOST grant amounted to PHP120,000, covering the costs of upgrading the dryer and procuring additional equipment,” Hernandez told the Philippine News Agency.
Similar assistance was extended to a fisherfolk cooperative in Agoncillo town, whose fish-drying activities were severely disrupted by the thick ash cloud generated by Taal Volcano during its recent subdued but constant eruptions.
However, instead of requesting a fish dryer, the Agoncillo cooperative requested for a water-refilling project instead, the PSTO official said.
Hernandez said “under the community grant agreement, the DOST retains the right to reallocate equipment for other recipients’ benefit.”
This means if it is found that the cooperative is not maximizing the use of the equipment given by the government, the same pieces of equipment can be awarded to another more deserving cooperative.
Hernandez said cooperative members underwent comprehensive technology transfer training facilitated by experts from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) at the cooperative’s Ambulong facility in Tanauan City.
This training not only addressed processing and drying time requirements but also equipped participants with fish value-adding techniques and insights into lucrative market opportunities, he added. (PNA)
