Groundbreaking rites for the long planned Seafood Processing Plant (SPP) in Dagupan to be funded by a $2.2 million grant from the Korean government will finally be held on Monday, May 18.

City Legal Officer George Mejia said the ceremony will be held at Sitio Russia in Barangay Bonuan Binloc, beside the 24-hectare National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

The groundbreaking, set at 9:00 a.m., will be attended by representatives of the Korean government and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the overseas development arm of the Korean government.

Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, City Administrator Alvin Fernandez, city councilors and heads of different departments of the Dagupan City government will represent the city in the event.

The SPP will process seafood, including milkfish (bangus), shrimps, oysters, siganid (malaga) and other aqua-marine products produced abundantly in Pangasinan, for domestic and international markets.

SETTLEMENT

Last year, Sitio Russia, the site of the SPP, was the center of a controversy between illegal settlers who initially refused a relocation program and officials of the city government. The conflict was elevated to the legal court, but a settlement was apparently reached between the parties.

“The civil case filed by the residents is still there in court, but this time, the plaintiffs have softened up and are amenable to move to the relocation site built by the city government,” Mejia said.

This was affirmed by Ronaldo Torio, barangay chairman of Bonuan Binloc, who said that the plaintiffs vowed to withdraw the case after they have already moved to Gawad Kalinga II, the relocation site in nearby Sitio Bagong Baryo.

Mejia said each of the relocated 65 families will be provided with 60 square meters of lot, with a house (frontage of 24 square meters and another 12 square meters at the back for future expansion).

The property, owned by the national government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, was acquired by the city government through a renewable, 25-year usufruct agreement.

The city government will, in turn, execute a usufruct agreement for 25 years to the relocated families.—LM

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