Proposed regional fishport facilities to rise in Calabanga

2013_0725_nofishbancas
IDLE: Fishermen's boats in seaside barangay of Sabang in Calabanga, Camarines Sur.

The Bureau of Fishiries will provide P6-M for the rehabilitation of San Miguel bay and P20-M for the proposed regional fishport infrastructure that will be located in Calabanga town of Camarines Sur. The fishport will include an ice plant and fish storage facilities.

This vague details was shared by the agency during the recently concluded San Miguel Bay fishermens summit held at the Calabanga parish center. About 120 fishermen came from fishing villages from the towns of Basud, Mercedes, Sipocot, Cabusao, Calabanga, Tinambac and Siruma.

Also present in the meeting were BFAR chief Atty. Asis G. Perez, BFAR Regional Director Dennis V. Del Socorro, Mayors Eduardo A. Severo of Calabanga, Regenor R. Astor of Sipocot and Ruel T. Velarde of Tinambac.

The fishermen support the proposed BFAR rehabilitation of the bay as Mayor Severo promised to add P1-M more coming from the economic development fund of the local government.

During the campaign period for local elections of May 2013, President Aquino also mentioned

several government projects being undertaken in the locality such as the rehabilitation of Sabang and San Vicente ports, and the Bicol Commuter Train which will improve travel time from Naga to Legazpi by April next year (2014). The Sabang-Calabanga Port has already been allocated with PhP50 million that will be bidded out in August (2013) this year. He added that improved infrastructure projects in the locality would increase local trade and tourism.

President Aquino also assured them that their request for a municipality hospital would be funded as soon as the local government identifies a strategic site for the construction.

So far, all of the above, are still up in the clouds.

Let us recall that speech again, here:

San Miguel Bay is considered one of the richest fishing area in the region. As confirmed by the fact there are 74 coastal barangays with an estimated population of (over) 93,000 residents whose main source of income are fishery, agriculture and forestry. Data showed there are about 11,000 fisherfolks in these coastal areas.

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