BFAR 8, through the PFO Southern Leyte and the Tilapia Commodity Program, officially turned over the Php2.2M-worth Tilapia Hatchery to the LGU of Sogod, Southern Leyte on February 28, 2024

Providing a substantial and proximate source of fish protein in upland areas and aligning with the government’s comprehensive approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) in remote communities, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 8, through the Provincial Fisheries Office (PFO) Southern Leyte and the Tilapia Commodity Program, officially turned over the Php2.2M-worth Tilapia Hatchery to the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sogod, Southern Leyte on February 28, 2024.

Despite facing challenges posed by the pandemic and the devastating Typhoon Odette, the initiative was successfully realized through the Bayanihan II Project and the Typhoon Odette Rehabilitation Program, with a total value of Php1.5M and Php700,000, respectively.

LGU Sogod expressed its commitment to sustaining the operation and maintenance of the 400-square-meter hatchery. “Our Sangguniang Bayan has created several resolutions supporting the continuous operation of the Tilapia Hatchery,” remarked Vice Mayor Atty. Jose Ramil F. Golo.

Tilapia Commodity Focal Person Reinafil Bernal shared the Bureau’s vision to establish tilapia hatcheries in strategic areas within the region, considering the high acceptance of tilapia consumption in the market and aiming to increase inland fisheries production, thereby alleviating fishing pressure on capture fisheries. “Padayon it amon pagsuporta hiton Tilapia Hatchery ha pamaagi han pag-provide han technical assistance,” she added.

LGU Southern Leyte views the intervention as a means to promote good nutrition within its locality through sustainable food production. The hatchery has already produced over 100,000 tilapia fingerlings for more than 300 backyard fishpond owners, farmers, and fisherfolk associations in Sogod, Bontoc, and St. Bernard, Southern Leyte after its rehabilitation in 2022. Further, PFO Southern Leyte committed to assisting LGU Sogod with other feasible support services and regularly conducting site validations to ensure the hatchery’s proper maintenance and operation, paving the way for potential technology replication by nearby towns.