BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi (MindaNews / 19 June) – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is putting up a Regional Fisheries Integrated Research and Development Center (RFIRDC) in this province.
ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, in an interview at the sideline of the two-day 1st ARMM International Business Conference here, said that the RFIRDC project is aimed to improve the quality and production of the fishery industry in the province.
Hataman noted that Tawi-tawi is very rich in marine resources and is the number one producer of seaweed in the region.
He said this province contributes 48 percent, representing 294,595 metric tons of seaweed, to the total produce of the entire autonomous region.
Aside from this province, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao and Sulu comprise the ARMM.
However, Hataman did not disclose how much funds have been allocated for the project except in saying that it will be undertaken through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in close coordination with the national government.
“Majority of the concerned stakeholders told us that what they need is the processing center,” he said, citing that the research and development center will be established here as almost 50 percent of the seaweed comes from this province.
More than 500 local and foreign businessmen, as well as tourism stakeholders, attended the two-day business conference on June 17-18.
Secretary Sakiran Hajan, of the Department of Trade and Industry in the ARMM, said the business conference was aimed to showcase the business as well as tourism potentials of Tawi-tawi and the entire autonomous region.
The event is anchored on the theme “Strengthening public-private partnership towards economic stability in ARMM.”
