Women’s groups launch aqua-based products in Region 8

VALUE-ADDING. Crab crackers and lumpia produced by a women's group in Motiong, Samar. Five women’s groups in Eastern Visayas launched on Thursday (Nov. 25, 2021) at Robinsons Place Tacloban their aqua-based businesses, showcasing their newly-improved products after undergoing months of training.(PNA photo by Sarwell Meniano)

TACLOBAN CITY – Five women’s groups in Eastern Visayas on Thursday launched their aqua-based businesses, showcasing their newly-improved products to tap potential local and foreign markets.

Among the products launched at Robinsons Place here are crab crackers, assorted dried fish, fresh tilapia, fish crackers, and seaweed crackers.

“The activity serves as a platform for enterprise groups to link their new and improved products to potential markets. It is also an avenue to develop and agree on an action plan to further the development of the enterprise,” said Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Eastern Visayas regional director Juan Albaladejo.

The product launch was made after members of the Motiong Women’s Association from Motiong, Samar; Magkasungiao Island Fisherfolks Association from Catbalogan City, Samar; Casulongan Farmers and Fisherfolk Association from Javier, Leyte; Cabungaan Fisherfolk and Multipurpose Association from Mercedes, Eastern Samar; and Barangay Ngolos Fisherfolk Association from Guiuan, Eastern Samar completed the Aqua-based Business School with Gender and Climate Change Perspective (ABS-GCC) modules during months of training.

The groups have a total membership of 68, mostly women, in poor coastal communities in Leyte and Samar provinces.

Now on its second cycle, Eastern Visayas is the pioneer in the ABS-GCC implementation in the country among the four regions covered by the foreign-funded Fisheries, Coastal Resources, and Livelihood Project supervised by BFAR.

Maribel Gabuya, 46, from Motiong, Samar thanked the government for supporting them in coming up with value-added products from crabs.

“Crabs harvested by our husbands are being processed into crackers, lumpia, and nuggets. This venture has augmented the income of our family,” Gabuya said. (PNA)

Source: Business Diary Philippines