Most of the barangay folks of Nibaliw Navarte in San Fabian, Pangasinan rely on fishing and dried fish (daing) production as their viable livelihood. However, due to limited financial capital, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries are engaged in debt cycle from loan sharks.
To address this issue, 21 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries were organized as The Delicious Dried Fish SLP Association by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 through its Sustainable Livelihood Program. After being accredited by DSWD as a Civil Society Organization, the Association received PhP302,000.00 Seed Capital Fund (SCF) in February 2019 to augment their existing resources.
Part of the SCF was utilized in purchasing starter skits such as banyeras (fish tub), bilaran (a rectangular frame with net), sacks of salt, and other fish drying tools.
At present, the Association hires a freezer truck to transport an average of 1,000 kilos of various fish species from Malabon City to San Fabian at least twice a week. The processing of dried fish takes place immediately to ensure the products’ high quality.
The fishes are dried up in the barangay’s vacant lot while the finished products are stored at the association president’s small daing storage facility.
At times when the members are free from their usual livelihood engagements outside the association, they help in the dried fish production and enable an additional earning of PhP3,000.00 for working at least 8 days a month for the Association’s business. Apart from this, the Association also earns an average of PhP10,000.00 to PhP15,000.00 weekly of which they unanimously agreed to be saved in a bank for future use.
The finished products are being delivered to Bugallon and Lingayen, Pangasinan; Agoo, La Union; and Baguio City. Some wholesalers and retailers directly go to the production area to buy.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa DSWD-SLP dahil natulungan kaming pahalagahan ang tunay na diwa ng pagkakaisa, kooperasyon, at hardwork. Hindi na namin kailangang problemahin kung saan ulit mangungutang ng puhunan (We thank the DSWD-SLP for helping us realize the true importance of unity, cooperation, and hardwork. We no longer worry where to loan capital.),” said Eleyna Ceynas, SLP Association President.
The Association projects to purchase an electric drying machine to be used during rainy season.
The Cayanga Dried Fish SLP Association and the TG Rain or Shine SLP Association in San Fabian engaged in dried fish production are DSWD-SLP assisted associations as well that received a Seed Capital Fund of PhP329,925.00 and PhP420,000.00, respectively. (by: Janine Joy B. Altero, Social Marketing Officer, Sustainable Livelihood Program)
