Integrated Rural Development Project for Women and Children in Guiwanon, Bantayan Island, Cebu

The livelihood component of the project will utilize the available local resources to be developed which is the marine-based resources. The plan of Guiwanon Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GMPC) is to process the marine products into sardines and other food products. In order to acquire the knowledge and skills, JPID-IDC tapped the services of Confederation of Scientific and Professional Organization (COSPO), a training arm of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to provide the training on Basic Fish Processing.

The training was held at the DOST training center on February 12-13, 2007 to learn the following: Spanish Sardines Making, Fishball and Squidball Making and Fish Patties making.

To enhance the knowledge and skills acquired in the Basic Fish Processing Training, an exposure trip to successful Food Companies in Dipolog City where Spanish Sardines processing are popularly known like the Montaño Food Corporation, Zaragoza Foods Company and Mendoza Foods Company were conducted on February 27 to March 1, 2007.  The group also visited the Dipolog School of Fisheries where additional skill on Shrimp Kroepeck Making was acquired and more inputs on Spanish Sardines Making. Likewise, the group visited Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Plaridel, Misamis Occidental to know the cooperative’s best practices, management and successful lending program.