USAID Philippines Deputy Mission Director Rebekah Eubanks (right) hands over a donation of fishing nets to Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc (left) at the Pasuquin Fish Farm on October 10. |
Laoag City—The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for Internation |
al Development (USAID), turned over Php5 million (US$89,500) in aquaculture equipment to the provincial government of Ilocos Norte to support fisherfolk in sustainably farming tilapia.
USAID Philippines Deputy Mission Director Rebekah Eubanks handed
over the donation to Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc at the
government-owned Pasuquin Fish Farm on Oct. 10, 2024.
“The United States is proud to support fishers in Ilocos Norte
with tools that can increase their income and create resilient communities,”
Eubanks said. “These supplies will help
fishers, especially those impacted by the recent Super Typhoon Julian, restore
their livelihood and contribute to long-term food security by increasing
affordable sources of protein for local communities.”
“I’d like to express my deepest and sincerest gratitude to USAID
on behalf of our fisherfolk and on behalf of over 610,000 Ilocanos. We really look forward to working closer with
USAID for the benefit of our Ilocanos,” Manotoc noted.
The donation includes a generator, a 1,000-watt solar-powered
outdoor light, a ring blower, an oxygen tank, a submersible pump, an aerator
for a paddle wheel, a sewing machine for net production and repair, fish
fingerlings, fish breeders, and feed.
The equipment and supplies are expected to boost the farm’s current
tilapia production by 20 percent by ensuring a stable supply of electricity,
increasing the stock of fingerlings and breeders, and maximizing the facility’s
overall efficiency.
USAID also donated fish cages to 70 fishers representing
fisherfolk associations from the municipalities of Pasuquin, Bangui, and
Pagudpud, and whose fishing equipment were damaged by super typhoon “Julian”.
This assistance is part of USAID’s Php41-million grant to “Impl.
Project Philippines” to create conservation-based livelihood projects, help
manage marine protected areas, and conduct research and development into
seaweed and aquaculture farming in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, and
Palawan.
While in Ilocos Norte, Eubanks also reaffirmed the United States’
commitment to boosting innovation, education, and economic development in the
region.
On Oct. 9, 204, Eubanks visited the Batac Campus of Mariano
Marcos State University to mark its inclusion in a network of 22 universities
under USAID’s Energy Secure Philippines (ESP) project. Through this program, USAID provides career
mentoring to help students embark on successful careers in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics. She also
launched USAID’s WISER app, an interactive platform that educates the public
about renewable energy.
She also delivered remarks at the graduation ceremony of 91 young
Ilocanos who completed a 15-day course in construction as part of USAID’s
YouthWorks PH project. This course
helped the graduates obtain jobs at construction firms such as AsiaPro,
Worklife, and Datem.
During her visit, Eubanks also witnessed the signing of a
memorandum of understanding between USAID’s U.S.-Philippines Partnership for
Skills, Innovation, and Lifelong Learning (UPSKILL) Program and the Ilocos
Norte Regional Development Council’s Regional Research, Development, and Innovation
Committee. This new partnership will
create new relationships and strengthen existing cooperation between the
government, private sector, and the academia to align investments and foster
innovation that will drive growth and development in the region.
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