Korea puts up seafood plant in Pangasinan

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan , Philippines  – A state-of-the-art triple-A standard fish processing plant, built through a grant from the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), will open here next month and enable bangus (milkfish) grown here to invade the world market.

The $2.2-million seafood processing complex was built on a 1,500-square meter lot owned by the city government in Barangay Bonuan Binloc here.

While the seafood processing plant was originally proposed some years ago, Pangasinan fourth district Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. objected to getting a loan to finance it. He appealed to his friends from Korea and personally visited officials there, including the prime minister, to discuss the possibility of getting a grant for this project.  

Jinoh Kim, development attaché at the Embassy of Korea and resident representative of KOICA, told The STAR that the seafood processing plant will be formally opened on July 21 and “will be the first gift by the Korean government to incoming President Noynoy.” 

Dr. Westly Rosario, interim executive director of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, said this seafood processing complex completes the major facilities needed to ensure the expanding but sustainable bangus industry in Dagupan and Pangasinan.

Among these facilities are the bangus hatchery, improved laboratory and training facilities for expanding production in bangus fingerlings, cage and fish pen culture, and now the processing facility. 

This facility will benefit 593 fishpond operators in the city, 768 fishpen operators, 465 masterlisted deboners, among others. 

The plant can stock 20 tons of raw materials a day and more than 150 metric tons of processed fish. It has quick freezing capacity of four tons per day at a temperature of -40 degrees Centigrade. 

Meanwhile, the city council here passed recently a resolution authorizing the city mayor to transfer, grant and bestow on the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) administrative control and supervision over the Dagupan City Seafood Processing Complex. 

Kim also visited the Rice Processing Complex (RPC) in Sta. Barbara town, which was built through a $3.5-million grant from the Korean government.

“We have to thank the people and government (of the Philippines) who gave us support when we were in poverty, when we were in difficult period,” Kim said.

During the 1950s, when the Korean war broke out, Filipinos came to Korea to help them rebuild. “That’s why we have to remember what Filipinos did for us during that time,” he added.

“So it’s time to repay. That’s why we are focusing on providing cooperation in the Philippines and other countries,” he said.

Since 1995, KOICA has been extending help to the Philippines, Kim said. 

Kim said at present, aside from Pangasinan, three other RPCs are ongoing construction in Iloilo, Bohol and Davao del Sur. 

For 2010 alone, he said the Korean government through KOICA is implementing 12 different projects worth about $15 million in agriculture/fishery development, health care, information technology, and other projects with local government units.

He said among Korea’s 59 partner countries, the Philippines ranked second in terms of amount of priority assistance extended.