Bekerja sama dengan Pemerintah Kota Roxas dan Sagana Agricultural Supply, Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation memberikan 1,3 juta ekor benih ikan bangus kepada komunitas nelayan di Kota Roxas, Capiz yang terkena dampak topan.

Kota Roxas, yang dijuluki sebagai "ibu kota makanan laut" karena produksi ikan dan makanan lautnya yang melimpah, merupakan salah satu tempat yang mengalami kerusakan parah akibat topan Ursula yang memporak-porandakan negara tersebut pada bulan Desember 2019 lalu.

Dipimpin oleh tim Aqua Pilmico, mereka menciptakan sebuah program yang diberi nama Bangon Capiznon; yang bertujuan untuk menyediakan stok benih yang diperlukan bagi para petani ikan di Capiz dan dukungan teknis untuk menghidupkan kembali produksi akuakultur mereka.

"Sesuai dengan janji merek kami untuk menjadi Mitra untuk Pertumbuhan, Pilmico hadir untuk meyakinkan para pembudidaya ikan bahwa, bersama-sama, kita dapat memulihkan dan menghidupkan kembali industri akuakultur di sini di Capiz," kata Richard Rafio, manajer kategori Pilmico untuk aqua.

Anggota Dewan Kota Roxas yang berterima kasih dan Pejabat Ketua Pertanian dan Perikanan Yang Terhormat Moreno Gonzaga, memuji Pilmico dan inisiatifnya dalam membantu para pembudidaya ikan yang terkena dampak - menjadi perusahaan pakan pertama yang memberikan dukungan langsung kepada para operator akuakultur.

“Ini merupakan bantuan besar tidak hanya bagi warga Kota Roxas, tetapi juga bagi pemulihan seluruh Capiz,” kagum Hon. Gonzaga.

Untuk para pembudidaya yang terlibat dalam operasi keramba, alokasi benih mereka akan dibesarkan di pembibitan yang telah ditentukan dan akan didistribusikan kepada mereka setelah mereka mencapai 3 hingga 5 inci - ukuran yang sesuai untuk ditebar di keramba.

Melalui proyek-proyek seperti Bangon Capiznon, Pilmico terus memajukan bisnis dan masyarakat, memastikan para petani dibekali dengan solusi total untuk mengembangkan dan meningkatkan bisnis mereka.

Pertanyaan yang Sering Diajukan

How did the Bangon Capiznon initiative sustain its impact during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The initiative launched in February 2020 — just weeks before the ECQ was imposed. Rather than stalling under pandemic conditions, the program continued with Pilmico’s Aqua Feeds team maintaining consistent on-ground support to beneficiaries through coordination with the Roxas City government and endorsements from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Pilmico also offered flexible feed payment terms to speed up business recovery — an adaptation that recognized the economic stress of the pandemic on top of the still-recent typhoon recovery. The combination of technical and financial flexibility made the program resilient through compounding crises.

What was the context and purpose of the Bangon Capiznon initiative?
Bangon Capiznon — Tagalog for “Rise up, Capiznon” — was launched by Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation’s Aqua Feeds team in partnership with the Roxas City Government and Sagana Agricultural Supply to help Capiz fish farmers rebuild after Typhoon Ursula devastated the province in December 2019. Roxas City, known as the Philippines’ seafood capital, was among the hardest-hit areas, with the typhoon causing PHP 1 billion in damage to the farm sector. The initiative provided displaced fish farmers with both the seed stocks and technical support needed to restart their aquaculture operations.

What specifically was donated and how was the donation structured for different types of farmers?
Pilmico turned over 1.3 million bangus (milkfish) fry to the typhoon-afflicted fishing community of Roxas City, Capiz. The distribution was structured based on the farmer’s production setup. For farmers engaged in cage operations, their fry allocation was first reared in assigned nurseries rather than given directly. The nursery-reared fish were then distributed to the farmers once they reached 3 to 5 inches — the suitable size for stocking in fish cages. This staged distribution reduced the technical risk of mortality that often accompanies direct fry stocking by untrained operators.

Who was Roxas City Councilor Moreno Gonzaga and what was his assessment of the initiative?
Moreno Gonzaga was the Roxas City Councilor and Presiding Officer for Agriculture and Fisheries — and also a fisherman and direct beneficiary of Bangon Capiznon. He lauded Pilmico and its initiative in helping affected fish farmers, noting that Pilmico was the first feed company in Roxas City to give direct support to its aquaculture operators. His often-quoted statement — “Malaking tulong ito hindi lamang sa mga taga-Roxas City ngunit sa muling pagbangon ng buong Capiz” (This will greatly help not only Roxas City residents, but also in the recovery of the entire Capiz) — speaks to the provincial-scale impact he anticipated from the initiative.

How did the technical assistance component of Bangon Capiznon work and what were its outcomes?
Beyond the fry donation, Capiz fishermen and fish cage owners received technical knowledge on fish feed ratios, proper use and scheduling of feed variants, and fish cage specifications to promote a better fish-growing environment. By October 2020 — eight months after the initiative launched — the beneficiaries were earning PHP 10 to PHP 15 additional income per kilo because of increased fish growth and performance. Pilmico’s aqua feeds resulted in an average 15 to 20 days faster harvesting time compared to other brands. Total harvest among Bangon Capiznon beneficiaries reached 15 tons or approximately 13,607 kilograms.