US donates equipment for tilapia farming in Ilocos

MANILA, Philippines — The United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), donated more than P5 million worth of aquaculture equipment to the Ilocos Norte provincial government to support fisherfolk in sustainably farming tilapia.

Rebekah Eubanks, USAID Philippines deputy mission director, handed over the equipment units to Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Manotoc at the government-owned Pasuquin fish farm on Thursday.

“The United States is proud to support fishers in Ilocos Norte with tools that can increase their income and create resilient communities. These supplies will help fishers, especially those impacted by the recent Super Typhoon Julian, restore their livelihood and contribute to long-term food security by increasing affordable sources of protein for local communities,” Eubanks said.

The donation includes a generator, 1,000-watt solar-powered outdoor light, ring blower, oxygen tank, submersible pump, aerator for paddle wheel, sewing machine for net production and repair, fish fingerlings, fish breeders and feed.