BOHOL is being eyed for the establishment of a World Bank-funded Blue Port Facility envisioned to become a major fisheries hub with fish landing and trading areas, processing and cold storage facilities, an ice-making plant, livelihood centers and other infrastructure aimed at boosting the province’s fisheries sector.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Region VII formally presented the project proposal to Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado on August 28, with Guindulman emerging as the preferred location following an assessment of five potential sites in the municipalities of Lila, Dimiao, Valencia, Guindulman and Jagna.
The presentation was led by newly appointed Bohol Provincial Fishery Office (PFO) Officer-in-Charge Gaymelo Lopez, together with Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) Assistant Technical Coordinator Pamela Sullano and Fisheries Infrastructure Engineer Cindy Leah Samijon.
Also joining the presentation were Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) chief Liza Quirog, Fishery Division head Mary Queen Atup, and Atty. Alona Cristal of the Provincial Legal Office (PLO).
The project is a major undertaking to be funded by the World Bank under the BFAR-FishCoRe program.
The Blue Port Facility aims to establish a Landing and Trading Area, Fish Processing Center, Cold Storage Facilities, Ice-Making Facilities, Bagsakan Center, Fisheries Training and Learning Center, Pasalubong and Fisheries Product Center, Community Enterprise and Livelihood Facilities, and Sustainable Coastal Resource Management and Tourism Support Infrastructure.
According to the proposal, the facility will be constructed on a one-hectare property in a municipality identified as a potential project site.
The OPA conducted an assessment of five municipalities with existing fish port facilities: Lila, Dimiao, Valencia, Guindulman, and Jagna.
The assessment identified Guindulman as the most suitable location for the project.
Governor Aumentado welcomed the proposed establishment of the facility in Bohol, saying it presents a major opportunity to enhance fisheries productivity in the province and improve post-harvest handling in the fishery sector.
The governor added that the project could create wider employment and business opportunities, strengthen local food security, and contribute to economic development, particularly in coastal communities, which are among the priorities of the provincial government under its Strategic Governance Roadmap.
Governor Aumentado called for stronger strategies and proper project positioning to ensure that the facility will maximize benefits for the people, particularly fisherfolk organizations, ensure proper use of government funds, and help control high fish prices.
“Atong gipadangat ang atong full support ning maong proyekto kay sayod kita nga pinaagi sa hugtanong paghiusa uban sa National Government ug sa Local Government Unit mas maihatod nato sa katawhan ang dekalidad nga serbisyo ug programa sibo sa ilang panginahanglan ug alang sa kinatibuk-ang kalamboan,” matud sa Gobernador.
The governor also reminded BFAR that the project’s implementation should give due consideration to its environmental impact and determine the appropriate contributions of the provincial government, including technical assistance and other requirements.
Governor Aumentado is expected to issue an Executive Order creating a Technical Working Group (TWG) as part of the preparations for the future implementation of the Blue Port Facility.
In coordination with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Governor Aumentado will also facilitate the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement among the concerned parties for the project’s implementation.
Lopez, for his part, thanked the provincial government for its active partnership and said that once completed, the facility will be operated by a qualified cooperative or association under the supervision of BFAR and its partner agencies.
The project will be implemented through the collaboration of BFAR, the Provincial Government of Bohol, the LGU where the facility will be established, Bohol Island State University (BISU), cooperatives, and other stakeholders.
The Blue Ports Initiative is a program that seeks to develop ports, marine areas, and coastal communities into more sustainable, productive, and beneficial spaces through stakeholder participation, including fisherfolk, communities, local governments, and other sectors involved in fisheries.
The proposed fishing port is expected to serve not only as a place where boats dock and fish are sold.
It will serve as a hub for various activities in the fisheries industry, with significant impacts on the livelihoods and lives of community members, and is envisioned to become a model for the rest of Bohol, encouraging businesses from other regions of the country and abroad to invest in the province, the country’s first UNESCO Global Geopark. (PIMO/ALT/JSS)
