NEDA starts studies on fish ports, hydropower

MANILA, Philippines - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is starting feasibility studies worth about P58 million for projects involving regional fish ports and hydropower development.

The regional fish port project hopes to answer the call for a sustainable management system for all the country’s major fish ports.

The Philippines ranked seventh among the top fish-producing countries in the world in 2012. Based on the recent national account estimates, the fisheries sector contributed 19.6 percent to gross value added (GVA) in agriculture and 1.8 percent to gross domestic product (GDP).

However, its economic contribution has been declining by an average three percent per annum, due to depleted fishery resources, decraded fishery habits, intensified resource use competition and conflict, unmet potential of aquaculture and commercial fishing grounds, uncompetitive fishery products, and constant port-harvest losses.

Meanwhile, the feasibility study for the hydropower projects will identify viable hydropower projects in missionary areas.

Completed within 15 months, it will be under the National Power Corp. - Small Power Utilities Group (Napocor-SPUG).

Among the initial prospects include the islands of Catanduanes, Masbate and Sibuyan in Romblon province.

The objective is primarily to identify and harness the hydropower potential of the various river basins in the island grids where SPUG currently operates.

It is expected that the study would supplement energy security in the particular missionary areas by enhancing the commercial viability of SPUG operations, consequent to its reduced dependence from oil-based power generations.