28/02/2026
Bataan School of Fisheries Benchmarks SEAFDEC Facilities to Boost Aquaculture Programs
BINANGONAN, RIZAL – In a significant move to modernize its vocational programs, the Bataan School of Fisheries (BSF) conducted a benchmarking visit to the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) Aquaculture Department at Tapao Point, Binangonan, Rizal. The visit aimed to establish a high-standard model for improving the school’s Strengthened Program in Technical-Vocational Education (SPTVE) facilities.
The SEAFDEC Binangonan Freshwater Station (BFS), established in 1976, served as the primary venue for aquaculture research and for the educational tour and training. The delegation was led by School Principal IV Dr. Cesar L. Valenzuela, accompanied by Dr. Gina T. Fontillas, Dr. Jerson F. Tuang, and the dedicated SPTVE teachers and staff.
A highlight of the visit was the handover of 500 juvenile Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) to the BSF team. These juveniles will serve as the pioneer seed stock for Bataan province. The school’s strategic goal is to propagate these carps within campus hatchery, with the vision on integrating concepts in SPTVE Curriculum and introducing them to local farmers once they are successfully reared and stabilized.
Beyond carp production, the BSF team underwent intensive orientation on the cultivation of the Giant Freshwater Prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), commonly known in the Philippines as Ulang.
It was interesting to note that SEAFDEC pioneered the research and artificial propagation of Bighead Carp in the Philippines during the early 1980s. Also SEAFDEC is supported by 11 member countries across Asia, including:
* Brunei Darussalam
* Cambodia
* Indonesia
* Japan
* Lao PDR
* Malaysia
* Myanmar
* Philippines
* Singapore
* Thailand
* Vietnam
The BSF administration expressed confidence that this partnership will not only upgrade the school's technical capabilities but also catalyze the aquaculture industry in Bataan, turning the school into a hub of innovation for the province's farmers.
