According to Florence Mangoba, fisheries coordinator of the Office of the Provincial Agriculture, the training is a convergence project of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Labor and Employment, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, provincial government and the municipal government of Saguday.
“The training was requested by Barangay Salvacion RIC through its President, Edna Guttierrez but as requested by Mayor Mercy Pagbilao, we included five RIC leaders from other barangays,” Mangoba said.
The BFAR trainors, Donna Daquigan and Gyna Racca taught the RIC leaders on how to smoke tilapia in a smoke house. They also provide free smoke house to Salvacion RIC.
Mangoba also said the training is aimed at preparing the RICs for the livelihood fund assistance they requested from the DOLE. The TESDA on the other hand shall issue competency certificates or National Certificates (NC) to those who will pass the assessment.
Meantime Guttierrez, RIC Saguday president said she is very thankful to their municipal government and to the provincial government for bringing the said training to their barangay stressing that it will give the RIC leaders and members additional source of income for their families.
“We also thank BFAR for giving us a smoke house for our smoke tilapia production,” she added.
