CONCEPCION, Iloilo — The DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office VI and the Barangay Igbon Kasagan Association formally inaugurated the Blue Swimming Crab Pre-Processing and Trading Center on July 30, 2026, at Sitio Punta Ayan, Barangay Igbon. The P1.71-million facility was funded through the SAAD Program Phase 2.
A Long-Awaited Facility for BIGKAS Members
The two-storey center houses a fishery store and a cooking station equipped with tables and cooking baskets for crab preparation and steaming. It stands on a 50-square-meter lot donated by the Arinaza family to the local government and DA-BFAR 6 through a 20-year, renewable deed of usufruct.
For years, BIGKAS members bought freshly caught crabs along the shoreline and prepared them in household kitchens or privately owned cooking stations, often at additional cost. The new facility formalizes what had long been an informal and scattered process, giving the association a dedicated buying and preparation station under its own roof.
Improving Food Safety and Market Readiness
DA-BFAR 6 Director Remia A. Aparri said the facility is expected to improve fish handling practices and bring the association's operations into compliance with food safety standards and good manufacturing practices. This fulfills a longstanding aspiration of BIGKAS to produce fresh, safe-to-eat crab while opening a supplemental income stream.
Aparri noted that the SAAD projects in Igbon are being showcased to other municipalities, provinces, and even international forums. She expressed hope that within three to four years, significant improvements will be seen in the lives of the Igbon community through these interventions.
Community Ownership and Shared Responsibility
Celso Arinaza Jr., President of BIGKAS, called on the community to work together in facing the industry's present difficulties. He emphasized that every problem has a solution and that the building is a shared responsibility, not something to be managed by only a few people.
BIGKAS will operate the facility under the technical supervision of DA-BFAR 6 and LGU Concepcion, with oversight from the Barangay LGU. A Manual of Operation covering maintenance, policies, and quality assurance will guide its use, carried out by a management committee with representatives from the Bureau, the Municipal LGU, the Barangay, and picking station owners.
Supporting Vulnerable Fisherfolk Through SAAD
The DA-BFAR Special Area for Agricultural Development Phase II Program aims to reduce poverty and improve the living conditions of vulnerable fisherfolk and their communities. It provides sustainable livelihood opportunities that complement DA banner programs and assist beneficiaries in establishing community-based fishery enterprises.
Through these efforts, BFAR-SAAD continues to strengthen food security and promote inclusive economic growth in priority areas across the Philippines. The Igbon facility stands as a concrete example of how targeted interventions can transform informal livelihoods into formal, compliant, and market-ready enterprises.
