DAVAO ORIENTAL— A sustainable aquaculture industry and processing facility is eyed to be established here; an investment poised to benefit 83 coastal communities in the province.In a consultation dialogue facilitated by the Provincial Government and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Norbert Chingcuanco, Vice President for Corporate Planning of Feedmix Specialist Inc., the country’s leading integrated aquaculture company, expressed his company’s desire to operate here. He said they need at least 300 to 1,000 hectares aquaculture area within coastline of Davao Oriental.
The company will focus on vannamie and bangus production, targeting an initial output of at least 30 tons per day and a maximum output of 60 tons per day for export. Atty. Asis Perez, Legal Counsel of Feedmix Specialist Inc., said that they will be hiring locals for their company’s large-scale operation.
“We envisioned that with our growth, we are able to contribute to the attainment of food security and sound economic development of localities where our company operates,” Perez said in his presentation.In compliance with the Provincial Government’s Nagkakaisang Lingkod-Bayan ng Davao Oriental- Integrated Coastal and Marine Management for Sustainable Development (NLD-ICMMSD) Program which promotes “blue economy”, among others, Perez assured that there will be no environmental concerns in putting up their processing plant here. He said that part of their company’s policy is to ensure the sustainable use of ocean resources for their operation here to flourish.
“The nature of our business requires clean and healthy environment and optimum water quality. Without this, our business will not thrive,” he said.He further guaranteed that they will stick to implementing their company’s corporate responsibility which includes medical missions, scholarships, and distribution of school kits.
The Governor’s Chief of Staff Ednar Dayanghirang said this will contribute to the Provincial Government’s continuous effort in alleviating poverty incidence through employment opportunities for the coastal communities identified as the second poorest sector in the province. Poverty incidence in the province is at 21% of the province’s total population.
“Our fisherfolks depend on good weather conditions to go out to sea and fish. But with this impending investment, their daily income is assured as they will be employed by the company,” he said.He furthered that while there are existing vannamie production in Barangays Dahican and Dawan in the City of Mati, and in some areas in Baganga, as well as bangus production in the First District of this province, a large-scale aquaculture production will spur local economic activity.
“It is very important that we let investors come in because the economy is run by the business sector, by private sectors. The government has to collaborate with business sector in totally eradicating poverty,” Dayanghirang added, emphasizing that the said effort is under Governor Nelson Dayanghirang’s Inclusive Governance Framework.To gain support at the Municipal level, Dayanghirang said they will be conducting a consultation through the Office of the Mayors and Liga ng mga Barangay to jointly pursue the development of the project.Meanwhile, DILG Provincial Director Yvette Tolentino Sunga reminded the event facilitators to conduct proper social preparation in the 83 communities involved in the massive project.
“We are thankful that their company is looking into the welfare not only in the employees that they will be employing in the near future but also as to the environment alone that remain sustainable. We should be complementary when it comes to the investors coming in, all effort of the barangay, municipality, city and province, all laws, all audit, all action, all everything. The DENR and BFAR should be here so that the problems and issues will be solved. This is just a reminder that we can engage, we can have sustainable development, and we can have investors. Look into the councils that are engaged in such a development and such investment. Social preparation is a key. Social preparation, functionality of your barangay-based institution is very important as well,” PD Sunga said.
