Roxas vows support to fishing industry
March 10, 2010 1:16 pm
MANILA, March 10 — Liberal Party standard bearer has pledged support to fishing industry, particularly the marginalized fisherfolks in Mindanao to uplift economy in the poverty-stricken regions in the country.
“A clean and honest government ensures progress. It focuses on helping small market players grow,” Vice presidential race frontrunner and Liberal party candidate Senator Mar Roxas said.
In their four-day Mindanao swing, Roxas' party made rounds in various small fish processors in Dipolog, Zamboanga.
He visited Tito Mike’s Food Co. Inc. owned by Mike Cases, a former overseas Filipino worker who received support from the Department of Trade and Industry’s SULONG program for SMEs under Roxas’ term as DTI Secretary.
Tito Mike's was recognized as Outstanding SME in 2003 and now supplies bottled sardines and other fish products to the US and Canada, and locally through Pan de Manila.
“Because of clean and honest leadership, Tito Mike’s business has grown and is now exporting bottled sardines to America,” he said.
Roxas also relentlessly supported the sardines industry in Dipolog, and even supported the establishment of the In-Glass Sardines of Dipolog Association.
Dipolog is known internationally for its sardine processing industry that consists of 13 processing companies that source their fish from local fisherfolks and employs 290 employees.
“Hundreds of fishermen benefit, because there are food processors like Tito Mike who regularly purchase from their catch,” he said.
He said fisherfolk and small fish processors will need enough support such as improved infrastructure, supply chain and marketing linkages not only in order to survive the current challenges they are facing but also to maximize their potential in the local and international market.
Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte is a leading processed sardine exporter where successful small-scale fishing business can be replicated to more small fishers and fish processors small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).(PNA)
LDV/MPC
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