THE test run and operations of the Seafood Processing Plant in Sitio Russia, Bonuan Binloc in Dagupan City is expected to be delayed further since the Department of Agriculture (DA) has not delivered its committed funds.

Dr. Westly Rosario, designated chairman of the plant’s management team from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), nonetheless assured that the plant will definitely open as scheduled and the residents from Sitio Korea in Bonuan Binloc who were trained will be employed.

Rosario explained that he is still working on release of the budget for the construction of the facility’s wastewater treatment plant.

Nonetheless, he gave assurance that the plan to put the facility on a one-month dry run will most likely push through as scheduled this month.

The release of the fund for operations remains pending but BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento, who left for abroad last week, has already asked Rosario to finalize the operational manual for the plant.

Rosario said BFAR’s technical team is almost done with the document.

At the same time, Rosario explained that releasing of funds at this time of the year is usually difficult.  He added that next year should prove easier.

MODEL

Meanwhile, Rosario announced that the seafood processing plant will be used as a model by KOICA, the agency through which the Korean government funded the project, when it builds a similar project in Iloilo next year.

“This means that KOICA likes our systems and will adopt this in their other projects in the Philippines,” he said.—LM

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