Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Bfar labs to undergo facelift
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has earmarked P10 million to improve at least eight government laboratories spread across the country as an offshoot of European Union's favorable assessment of the Philippines fishing industry, a top official said.
Sani Macabalang, Bfar-Central Mindanao director, said the funding would augur well for the tuna industry, which is concentrated in this city, as the agency's existing laboratory would get a facelift.
"There's really a need to enhance our equipment considering that many of the facilities in our laboratory here are old. They need to be replaced although they are still serviceable. We're one of the beneficiaries of the P10 million funding since the city is strategic in fish production," he said in a phone interview.
Macabalang said his office has been asking the assistance of tuna industry players as they are the ones who are directly benefiting from the laboratory's operation.
"Due to the government's scarce resources, we are tapping the private sector to help us in the progressive face-lifting of the laboratory," he said.
The official also lamented that their laboratory in this "Tuna Capital of the Philippines" is confronted with manpower problems, with only two of the 10 workers having regular employment status and the rest as contractuals.
Ideally, the laboratory should have 10 plantilla positions with better wages to avoid losing them to the private sector who have been pirating them, he noted
The regional agency earlier received a P3.5 million funding from the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, a state-owned corporation tasked to promote the development of the fishing industry, for the construction of a two-storey laboratory building.
Macabalang reiterated the building houses laboratory equipment that should be replaced.
He also reminded the tuna industry players not to be complacent now that European Union has given its passing mark to the country.
Marfenio Tan, president of the Socsksargen Federation of Fishing Associations and Allied Industries, Inc., also urged the six tuna canneries and various processors located in the city to always be guided by European Union standards.
"[The European Union] is continuously monitoring us even if we have already impressed them," Tan said in a recent interview.
In a 26-page document, the Union's mission team concluded that majority of the establishments visited have satisfactory hygiene and structural condition.
Also, the mission team said there was a satisfactory analyses results (below the maximum European Union limits), in particular for histamine, found in all visited establishments. (BSS)
