The ASGAIC is a very aggressive and result-oriented cooperative with its center of operation at Barangay. Amucao in the eastern edge of Tarlac City. They have an existing office and warehouse buildings. They also have mechanized farm equipment. While the cooperative is focused on agriculture, the livelihood of its immediate environs is in the processed fish industry. The tinapa makers of Brgy. Amucao have been in existence for around 30 years already, doing their traditional tinapang galunggong. The products are distributed mostly through peddlers and market stall vendors, who sell the products in the nearby towns of Tarlac City and even as far as Nueva Ecija.
The Amucao Women’s Association, which is composed of wives of ASGAIC members were identified as the beneficiaries of the SSF Project while ASGAIC was engaged as the cooperator. The women’s group wanted to pursue a similar but more modern project than the traditional tinapa making. They wanted to process Bangus, Tilapia and Hito, instead of the usual Galunggong and Tamban. This way, they will not be in direct competition with the traditional tinapa makers.
The Amucao Women’s Association, which is composed of wives of ASGAIC members were identified as the beneficiaries of the SSF Project while ASGAIC was engaged as the cooperator. The women’s group wanted to pursue a similar but more modern project than the traditional tinapa making. They wanted to process Bangus, Tilapia and Hito, instead of the usual Galunggong and Tamban. This way, they will not be in direct competition with the traditional tinapa makers.
The Tea-Napa Making process of bangus : boiling, smoking and the finished product with a golden brown hue |
To prepare the group, DTI-Tarlac assisted them through a benchmarking and local study mission in Bataan. Bataan is well known for its tinapa products. To differentiate them from other tinapa makers, they call their products Tea-Napa because the fish that they process are initially soaked in water boiled with pandan and other local herbs.
The following equipment, with a total cost of P308,800, were provided to the group for their Tea-Napa Processing venture. These consist of two (2) smoke houses, two (2) chest freezers, two (2) stainless working tables and one (1) vacuum sealer. The SSF project was launched on January 30, 2015. In order to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and give value adding feature to their Tea-napang Bangus, DTI-Tarlac also conducted an Entrepreneurship Training with Capability Development Training on Fish Deboning. They also attended a SMERA training in Good Manufacturing Practices.
These ordinary housewives have now become full-time entrepreneurs, regularly processing Tea-napa,, which has high market demand. They have significantly increased their estimated family income by at least 20% through this project, more so after they were introduced to the market by participating in DTI-organized and assisted trade fairs. These fairs include the different provincial and regional trade fairs like Singkaban in Bulacan, Big Bite in Marquee Mall, Likha ng Central Luzon in Glorietta Makati and the NKATbp in Fontana, Clark. They also participated in the month-long BDT OTOP Pasalubong Showroom Exhibit in Makati City.
Amucao has now become a preferred benchmarking destination for those who want to earn and learn from fish processing since these women are now also happily sharing their knowledge by conducting seminars in fish deboning and smoked fish processing.
Left : The skills training on Fish Deboning conducted by TCA Right : ASGAIC welcomes/hosts the benchmarking activity of the San Clemente Women’s Association |
They have also also been featured in various segments of TV programs like Umagang Kay Ganda, Unang Hirit and the Agri-Tayo Dito together with their farmer counterparts in ASGAIC.♦