CREDITS: Manuel Lester S. Niere (raw footage), Adrienne B. Tupas (video editing), Louise Michelle C. Perez (production staff), Myrrh Abigail Krista A. Procianos (production staff), Maria Carmel A. Rimpos (production staff), Ma. Khrisma T. Soliven (script), Paul Isaias P. Tenepere (script), Adrienne B. Tupas (video editing), Licelle B. Varias (production staff), Alon J. Velasquez (narration), and Christine Ann O. Wang (production staff)
Buhay Trolley from the los baños times on Vimeo.
Noel Angelo S. Arboleda
[NEWSFEATURE] In line with BFAR’s mission of providing livelihood assistance in aquaculture, the CALABARZON regional office (BFAR IV-A) continues to support small-time fish farmers through the Tilapia Broodstock and Fingerling Production and Dispersal Program.
BFAR IV-A’s extension office in Bambang, Los Baños houses nursing tanks where tilapia stock for dispersal are stored.
On July 8, BFAR IV-A transferred around 100,000 fingerlings and 8,000 breeders worth 30,000 pesos in total from their extension office in Bambang, Los Baños to municipalities in Laguna and Quezon.
BFAR farm technicians along with municipal agriculturists from Sta. Cruz and Victoria, Laguna and Real, Quezon dispersed tilapia stock to more than ten requesting fish farmers.
This is just one of the many requests approved by BFAR IV-A in a month as part of their tilapia dispersal, an assistance program for farmers venturing in the field of aquaculture.
In 1970, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources started the program to support low-income fish farmers in growing tilapia, a popular fish in the region. Originally, the Tilapia Broodstock and Fingerling Production and Dispersal program existed with a “stock now pay later policy” wherein requesting fish farmers are loaned fish stock (fingerlings and breeders) which they have to pay after harvesting period.
Due to tilapia’s popularity as a fish that is relatively easy to raise in fresh and saltwater conditions, the Department of Agriculture increased funding for tilapia research and production in 1990. This allowed BFAR to drop the loaning system and provide each requesting fish farmer with up to two free stock grants of 500 – 100,000 tilapias each.
According to Ms. Julia Arida, Officer in Charge of the BFAR IV-A Extension Training and Communications Division, interested parties only need to send a letter of request addressed to BFAR IV-A regional office in Diliman, Quezon City. Few requirements such as the amount of fish stock requested, farm measurements and address specified in the request letter are needed. This is done in order for the program to be more accommodating to low-income fish farmers.
Processed requests are then sent to the Extension office in Bambang, Los Baños for verification. During this phase, BFAR farm technicians are sent to different farms to conduct measurements and logistical surveys. This ensures that the amount of stock requested by farmers is applicable to the size of their growing facility, preventing cases of overstocking which may result to fish kill.
Mr. Dionisio Zapanta, BFAR IV-A farm technician, said the tilapia is popular not only to consumers but to producers as well because it is a very adaptive fish, known to survive in harsh conditions. “Tanggalan mo lang ng konting kaliskis ang bangus o galunggong, mamamatay na yun. Ang tilapia, kahit wala nang kaliskis, makakalangoy parin (Take off some scales from a milkfish or a mackerel scad and it’s bound to die, while a tilapia can swim with hardly a scale left),” Zapanta explained. However, he cautioned that inadequate space for the fish to grow causes stress which may kill the tilapia. That is why verification of farm size is important.
Through years of the BFAR Tilapia Dispersal program, technicians have encountered fish breeders lacking basic knowledge in tilapia breeding. To address that, BFAR IV-A provides seminars and modules on tilapia breeding in order to help starting farmers in their business. Trainings are conducted by BFAR specialists who come to the farms of beneficiaries needing assistance. Aside from this, tilapia breeders can also download the training modules from the BFAR IV-A website.
According to Mr. Zapanta, proper knowledge in tilapia is crucial in the business; it’s not just a matter of feeding the fish and you’re set. Overfeeding tilapia stock is a bad as underfeeding it as they might die from fishmeal residue contaminating their tanks.
Farmers need to be familiar with the tilapia’s breeding season as to successfully inseminate tilapia breeders for reproduction. “Madami talagang matigas ang ulong nagsasayang lang ng stock namin (There’s just a lot of hard-headed farmers just wasting our stock,)” Mr. Zapanta added, stressing the importance of basic training for starting fish farmers as the provincial office has experienced cases of failed businesses due to improper breeding practices.
Last May 28, a massive fish kill incident hit Taal, Batangas wherein approximately P57 million pesos worth of milkfish and tilapia. The incident affected 27% of Metro Manila’s supply of two of the country’s most popular fish. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and BFAR were the government bodies primarily involved in the investigation of the incident.
When asked regarding the effect of the fish kill to BFAR IV-A’s tilapia dispersal program, BFAR IV-A Farm Technician Mr. Alfredo Fang replied that it has not affected their fish stock. He clarified that BFAR IV-A along with the other 15 provincial offices around the country, gets their tilapia from the bureau’s main breeding farm in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
According to Mr. Fang, the incident in Taal Lake was caused by abrupt changes in water temperature. The water on the surface of the lake suddenly became cool, forcing the heat from the bottom to rapidly rise. In BFAR’s case however, their tilapia grown in Muñoz are stored in fish tanks providing the fish with a controlled environment, unlike the cages in Taal where the stocks are susceptible to sudden changes in temperature.
Among the 16 provincial offices of BFAR throughout the country, the CALABARZON provincial office is considered as the pioneer in Tilapia Breeding research. The provincial office is also the first to implement the Tilapia Broodstock and Fingerling Production and Dispersal Program. On the average, BFAR IV-A disperses a total of 300,000 fingerlings and 25,000 breeders in a month catering to around 10-12 individual tilapia breeders.
But despite the bureau’s efforts to provide assistance to small-time tilapia farmers through tilapia dispersal, still, there are some gaps that must be considered for the improvement of the program.
Mr. Raymond Jogus, a tilapia farmer for 17 years in Calauan, Laguna noted that individual requests take too long to get approved by the bureau. “Masyadong matagal, ang daming nakapila, eh hindi aari yan pag may hinahabol kang schedule (It takes too long because of a lot of pending requests, and that won’t do if you’re following a tight schedule,)” said Mr. Jogus.
Mr. Raymond Jogus has been raising tilapia in his farm (below) for 17 years.
Aside from the usual delays in the approval of stock requests, Mrs. Herminia Paunil, a former tilapia farmer in Calauan, said that BFAR’s tilapia is a bit challenging to raise.
She explained that this may be attributed to the fact that BFAR produces its tilapia in Pampanga, noted for its brackish water. She added that the tilapia may be more accustomed to a more saline condition and may take time to adjust to Laguna’s fresh water.
It’s a fact that tilapia breeders like Mr. Jogus, follow a strict schedule of operations, as one has to consider time-specific factors involved such as the breeding season and spawning season in tilapia production. With tilapia farming as their main source of livelihood, most fish farmers cannot afford to deal with problems that would impede their production and make them lose a harvest. Because of this, a lot of farmers are resorting to private breeders for their supply of fingerlings and breeders rather than rely on the free assistance program offered by BFAR.
In response to this, Ms. Arida said that the bureau still aims to improve its Tilapia Broodstock and Fingerling Production and Dispersal Program through continuous research on the field of tilapia breeding.
Through feedback data (tilapia growth rate, survivability rate, reproduction rate, etc.) given by the beneficiaries of the program, BFAR IV-A aims to improve the quality and increase the production of their tilapia stock to be able to cater to more individuals interested in making tilapia breeding their livelihood.
Currently, the BFAR IV-A regional office is located at the NIA Complex in Diliman, Quezon City, while its Extension Office is located in Bambang, Los Baños, Laguna. Local fish farmers interested in the Tilapia Broodstock and Fingerling Production and Dispersal Program may contact the BFAR IV-A regional office through landline at +63(2)926-8714.
Ito ang mga inaabangan ng libu-libong mamamayan ng Los Baños at mga lokal at dayuhang turista sa pagdiriwang ng Ika-396 Taong Pagkakatatag ng Bayan at Ika-Sampung taon ng Bañamos Festival mula Setyembre 14 hanggang 18.
Ang tema sa taong ito ay “Papuri’t Pasasalamat Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas: Viva Bañamos sa Bagong Los Baños.”
Parada, Paligsahan at Pagdiriwang
Bubuksan ang isang linggong pagdiriwang sa pamamagitan ng live TV coverage ng programang Unang Hirit ng GMA 7 sa ika-14 ng Setyembre, Miyerkules, sa Paciano Rizal Park. Isang programa rin ang idaraos sa ika-16 ng Setyembre, Biyernes, sa nasabing plaza. May parada din ng mga karosa na magmumula sa Trace College hanggang sa Paciano Rizal Park na lalahukan ng iba’t ibang drum and lyre bands.
Sa Sabado naman, ika-17 ng Setyembre, isang misang pasasalamat ang gaganapin sa Immaculate Conception Church bilang alay sa Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas na susundan ng isang elejer papunta sa Paciano Rizal Park.
Buong linggong masasaksihan ang Spa and Wellness Fair at ang Bañamos Town Sale sa Paciano Rizal Park. Ang WTF!! What The Fun!! Water Ball Adventure ay gaganapin naman sa Tadlac Lake at sa nasabing plaza. Ang mga tiket sa Tadlac Lake ay nagkakahalaga ng Php60.00 habang ang sa Paciano Rizal Park ay Php75.00. Ang Lakbay Lawa ay gaganapin naman sa daungan ng Baybayin.
Ang mga sumusunod ang iba’t ibang tagisan ng talento na magaganap:
Bilang pagwawakas, isang programa at fireworks display ang gaganapin sa ika-18 ng Setyembre sa may baybayin ng Paciano Rizal Park.
Viva Bañamos sa Bagong Los Baños
Ayon kay Mayor Anthony ‘Ton’ Genuino, “Ang pagdiriwang ng Bañamos ay pasasalamat sa Poong Maykapal sa mga biyaya ng ating bayan. Pagdiriwang din ito sa pagkakaisa ng mamamayan.” Aniya, pagkakataon ang okasyong ito upang mas lalo pang pasiglahin ang kooperasyon ng iba’t-ibang sektor sa pamayanan tungo sa “ibayong pag-unlad ng Bagong Los Baños.”
Dagdag pa ng punongbayan na layon din ng Bañamos Festival na ipamalas sa buong bansa ang Special Science and Nature City of Los Baños na may angking kagandahan at kaaya-ayang kapaligiran at tourist spots, at kakaibang galing sa larangan ng syensya, akademiya, at sa sining at kultura.
“Layunin nating maging bukambibig ng mga turista sa loob at labas ng bansa ang Bañamos nang sa gayon ay mas lalong sumigla ang turismo sa ating bayan,” pahayag ng alkalde.
Ayon naman sa Festival Committee, ang disenyong logo (nasa larawan) ng 10th Bañamos Festival ay simbolo ng “kolektibong hangarin ng mamamayan ng Los Baños upang makamit ang mas maunlad at mas mapayapang komunidad sa ilalim ng pamahalaang lokal na tumatalima sa mabuting pamamahala ng nagkakaisang taumbayan na ginagabayan naman ng mapagkalingang kamay ng Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas.”
A press release from the Los Baños Public Information Unit. For inquiries, contact Oji Sanchez through [email protected].
Courtesy of the Los Baños Public Information Unit