Petron, Citi Philippines partner with Guimaras

MANILA, Philippines – Petron Foundation and Citi Foundation formally renewed their partnership to support the rehabilitation of the Province of Guimaras with the turnover of a $50,000- grant for the second phase of the Mariculture Livelihood Program.

During a recent fellowship lunch with partners in the Ligtas Guimaras program, Petron president Eric Recto received from Citi Philippines country director Sanjiv Vohra a check representing the bank’s support for the next phase of the mariculture program.

“Sustaining this mariculture farm in Guimaras in partnership with Citi Philippines underscores our desire to provide a viable, long-term livelihood assistance that will directly benefit fisherfolk in the province. This will provide a more reliable source of income for them while preserving the environment,” Recto said.

Petron and Citi Philippines, together with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center-Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC-AQD), partnered for the pilot phase of the Mariculture Livelihood Model Farm which was established at the SEAFDEC Igang Mariculture Station in the town of Nueva Valencia in July 2007. This collaboration allowed 30 fisherfolk from Nueva Valencia to complete training in milkfish cage culture and the cultivation of some 72,000 milkfish (bangus). At the end of the pilot program, the residents were able to harvest over 26,000 kilos of bangus, translating into gross sales of nearly P2.5 million. 

Phase 2 of the program aims to replicate the success of the milkfish cage culture in four other barangays in Nueva Valencia and increase the number of beneficiaries of this livelihood program. The beneficiaries would also become responsible co-managers of the coastal resources of Guimaras.

During the event, Recto also presented a certificate of completion to the Department of Education-Guimaras, represented by its acting division superintendent Maura Pait. This marked the fulfillment of Petron’s promise to provide Internet connectivity to all of the province’s 17 public high schools. Petron also took the opportunity to recognize its corporate partners in the Internet connectivity program, namely SMART, PLDT and Microsoft Philippines. Petron and its partners provided personal computers to each school, tower relays and repeaters, and training in computer technology.

“The Internet connectivity project is part of our efforts to give the gift of education to the children of Guimaras. Through this, we hope to help increase their digital literacy and information technology skills,” Recto concluded.