Pangasinan is set to strengthen food security and boost the livelihood of thousands of fisherfolk with the establishment of the first provincial government-owned Bangus Breeding and Hatchery Facility in the Philippines.
The milestone project was presented during a public consultation dialogue held on January 21, 2026, attended by bangus growers, fisherfolk, and stakeholders from across the province. The project is part of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Scale-Up, with support from the World Bank and the Department of Agriculture.
The facility directly addresses one of the biggest challenges in the local bangus industry, the shortage of bangus fry and larvae. Despite being the country’s top bangus producer, Pangasinan still relies heavily on imported fry, particularly from Indonesia.
“Ito na po ang matagal na nating hinihintay ng mga bangus stakeholders,” said Pangasinan Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya. “May hatchery na po tayo ngayon, pero nakakapag-produce lang ito ng halos 20 percent ng requirement ng buong probinsya.”
She emphasized that the project has been four years in the making, involving multiple stages of planning and coordination.
“Mahaba po ang naging journey ng proyektong ito, pero maganda ang naging resulta. Ang araw na ito ay malinaw na senyales na matutuloy na talaga ang hatchery,” she added.
Once operational, the hatchery located at the Provincial Agriculture Field Station in Barangay Arnedo, Bolinao Pangasinan is expected to produce over 100 million bangus fry and more than 48 million bangus larvae annually.
“Nagpapasalamat po ang aming lokal na pamahalaan dahil dito sa bayan ng Bolinao itatayo ang bangus breeding hatchery ng probinsya. Ito po ay malaking tulong sa aming mga mangingisda at nursery operators dahil magkakaroon na tayo ng sapat na supply ng bangus fry at larvae, at mas mapapalago ang kabuhayan ng buong komunidad,” said Mr. Eulalio Ramirez, Municipal Agriculturist and representative of the Bolinao Local Government.
The 238.9-million project is World Bank-assisted, with funding shared by the World Bank (80%), the national government (10%), and the provincial government (10%).
Pangasinan Provincial Administrator Manuel “Manny” O Luis Jr. described the hatchery as one of the major agricultural projects of Governor Ramon V. Guico III.
“Isa po ito sa mga flagship projects ni Governor Guico sa agrikultura. Layunin nitong palakasin ang produksyon, pababain ang presyo, at suportahan ang kabuhayan ng mga bangus stakeholders sa Pangasinan.” he said.
He added that bangus farming is more than a livelihood.
“Ang pagbabangus ay hindi lang trabaho… ito po ay isang lifestyle. Ang proyektong ito ay talagang para sa inyo, para mas mapagaan ang inyong trabaho.”
Aside from production, the facility will also serve as a training and innovation hub for small-scale nursery operators, fisherfolk associations, and cooperatives. It will feature modern aquaculture infrastructure, including broodstock tanks, larval rearing tanks, algal and rotifer culture tanks, and a training hall.
More than 17 municipalities including Agno, Alaminos City, Anda, Bani, Bolinao, Dasol, Sual, Binmaley, Bugallon, Labrador, Lingayen, Calasiao, San Carlos City, Mangaldan, San Fabian, Dagupan City, and Infanta will benefit, reaching over 40,000 fisherfolk and aquaculture stakeholders.
The Pangasinan Bangus Breeding and Hatchery Project is the only PRDP-supported provincial hatchery in the country, further positioning Pangasinan as a national leader in aquaculture development.
With construction expected to begin soon, the provincial government continues to work closely with communities to ensure alignment with local needs and sustainable outcomes, and to ensure the project’s success.
(Rich Majin, Photo by: Ervin Alcantara | PIMRO)
