Dagupan's bangus expansion project gets support from DTI

DAGUPAN CITY – The  city was among the 23 beneficiaries of the P15.6 million worth of Shared Service Facility (SSF) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Pangasinan.

During the turn-over ceremony at CSI Stadia on March 14, Mayor Belen T. Fernandez personally received the SSF certificate from President Benigno S. Aquino III  and DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Cuison-Maglaya.

JCI DAGUPAN 65TH INDUCTION.As an honorary member of JCI Dagupan, Mayor Belen Fernandez welcomes all young leaders who hail from different towns and cities in the country in the city for the 65th Induction and Turnover ceremonies of JCI Dagupan.The mayor said the City of Dagupan has a very high regard for many young people trained in the finest traditions of leadership of JCI. Fernandez regards many young people who create and implement notable projects whose aim is not just to win awards, but to win the hearts of people because the change it seeks to see is felt… and the change is real. For more than 100 years, JCI has been an organization that believes in empowering people throughout the world to do and be their best.

The SSF Project is DTI’s “Big Push Program” for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other stakeholders to be more prepared and confident on gaining spot in the global market by improving the quality and productivity of entrepreneurs by addressing the gaps and bottlenecks in the value chain of priority industry clusters through the provision of processing machines and tools housed in facilities of private sector partners for the common use of the MSMEs.

Of the  P15.6 million worth of SSFs distributed,  Dagupan  City got  P850,000 worth of  equipment and tools intended   for 100 beneficiaries from 10 MSMEs   located  at the Malimgas Public Market in Galvan.

Aside from this,  the Bangus for Life Project in Poblacion Oeste  of the Dagupan Bangus Merchants Association headed by Howard Chua Cham, with 36 MSMEs assisted and 60  beneficiaries, also received P408,080.

Fernandez thanked President Aquino for the numerous projects and assistance given by the national government to  the city  to help improve the lives of every Dagupeño.

“Its a great honor and privilege that our President took time to visit Dagupan today to turn over a Shared Service Facility (SSF) of which  our city is among the beneficiaries. Dagupan received SSF for Bangus Processing Project for the development of the bangus industry and most especially to provide livelihood especially for indigent mothers,” said Fernandez.

The facility is now operational at the Magsaysay Fish market where bangus is being deboned and sold in the market afterwards.

“I laud this project of the national government which provides livelihood opportunities, giving a chance to those belonging  to the poorest of the poor to become entrepreneurs.  Through the Daang Matuwid, the poorest of the poor  are given the chance to live a better life," she said. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO)