HERMOSA, BATAAN — Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) President, Dr. Gregorio Rodis is presently pushing for a regionwide development project to boost mango production in Central Luzon.
In an interview yesterday, Rodis said BPSU’s Research and Development Office (RDO) headed by Director Hermogenes M. Paguio spearheaded
the project called “Science and Technology Community Based Farm on Mango Production in Bataan and Zambales.”
The project was crafted to show variability and productivity of mango using science and technology interventions. This includes the product development such as dried mangoes and wine which became an additional enterprise.
BPSU will serve as the lead agency for this regionwide development project in cooperation with Ramon Magsaysay Technological University, effective not only in the said provinces but also in Pampanga where a model farm is situated.
At present, Bataan has 24 model farms and 24 farmer cooperators, evenly distributed in the 11 municipalities and a component city in this province to retain the interest of mango farmers despite the risk of scabies and other mango pests and diseases.
“Through this intervention or modality, magagawa nating mai-revive ‘yung mango at maibalik ‘yung interes ng mga mango farmers sa kanilang manggahan at hindi na nila putulin o kaya ibenta ‘yung kanilang mga manggahan,” said Paguio.
Further, he said that mango farming is costly but through their project, huge expenses particularly on the purchase of pesticides will be lessened.
“Magastos ang pagmamangga dahil depende sa chemical or pesticides. With this modality, nagagawang mabawasan ‘yung gastos sa chemicals by 60%,” he said.
BPSU plans to present their project in the Provincial Board in an effort to revitalize the Bataan Mango Development Council and create a provincial ordinance for production.
BPSU is also eyeing the support of LGUs and other concerned groups in the private sector who want to push through in funding the project for long term development program of mango production in Bataan.
In the following years, Paguio added, as they add more cooperators and ties, they aim to bring the mango industry to the export market particularly in ASEAN countries such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, etc. – with reports from Benhur V. Cruz, Jr.