by Rollin Dave M. Elloren

LINAMON, Lanao del Norte (Nov. 12) โ After months of hard work, the Linamon Farmers and Fisherfolk Agricultural Cooperative (LIFFACO) reaped the rewards by successfully harvesting over 5,409 kilograms of bangus under the Bangus Culture in Bamboo Cage Project provided by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR-10) Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Phase II this town.
The cooperative began the project in June 2024 with provisions of 12,000 pieces of bangus fingerlings stocked in a 10m x 10m floating bamboo fish cage and 500 bags of commercial fish feed from BFAR-10.
After the five-month-culture period, the fingerlings reached an average harvest size of 500 grams and achieved a survival rate of 75.28% or 9,034 pieces.
The freshly harvested milkfish were sold at PhP 170 per kilo in their local community and neighboring municipalities, with some fish delivered to buyers in Cagayan de Oro City and Leyte at a farmgate price of PhP 143 per kilo, resulting in a gross income of approximately PhP700-K.
Meanwhile, LIFFACO Chairman, Dominador Comeda Jr, expressed his deep appreciation to BFAR for providing crucial training and support to the cooperative, which played a key role in ensuring the success of the project.
โMapasalamaton kami sa BFAR sa kahibalo ug mga kahimanan nga ilang gihatag sa amoa. Kini nga ani usa ka resulta sa paningkamot ug dedikasyon sa among mga miyembro, ug magahatag kini og benepisyo dili lang sa among kooperatiba kundi pati na usab sa tibuok komunidad,โ he said.
[We are grateful to BFAR for the knowledge and resources they have given us. This harvest is a result of the hard work and dedication of our members, which will benefit not only our cooperative but the entire community].Comeda added that through the funds generated from this program, the cooperative hopes to expand to two fish cages that will allow them to improve productivity and further increase their income.
At the same time, Linamon Municipal Agriculturist Jayson Arnoco, praised the success of the project, emphasizing the importance of such programs in providing sustainable livelihood to the community and its potential to boost the local aquaculture industry in the municipality.
โThis project not only demonstrates the viability of aquaculture in our area but also provides our fisherfolk with opportunities for economic growth and food security. The local government will continue to support initiatives that empower our farmers and fisherfolk,โ Arnoco conveyed.
Moreover, the Harvest Field Day, organized by the Provincial Fisheries Office of Lanao del Norte (LDN), provided a platform to highlight the skills and innovations of the beneficiaries in local aquaculture.
During the activity, cooperative members demonstrated their proficiency in producing value-added bangus products, including deboned bangus and bangus in oil, both of which were the result of BFAR10 SAADโs post-harvest training programs.
BFAR-10 LDN SAAD Provincial Alternate Focal Person Al Jun Magamano highlighted that value-added products not only maximize income from harvests but also offer additional avenues for economic sustainability.
Writer: Al Jun B. Magamano/RDME
Photo Credit: ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐๐/PPMSO Lanao del Norte
About DA-BFAR SAAD Phase 2:
The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-BFAR SAAD) Program Phase 2 aims to contribute to poverty reduction and improve the living conditions of vulnerable fisherfolk and their communities by providing sustainable livelihood opportunities and support for poor fishing sectors. These interventions intend to complement the DA banner programs and assist beneficiaries in establishing community-based fishery enterprises. The BFAR-SAAD strives to enhance food security and promote economic growth in targeted areas across the Philippines.








