Bantayan, Cebu – On July 05, 2024, thirty-one (31) fishers from Bantayan Island successfully completed a two-week training program on Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) boat fabrication. Participants from Santa Fe, Madridejos, and Bantayan demonstrated their newly acquired skills by constructing two 22-foot harvest boats and one 30-foot harvest boat.

FRP is renowned for its high strength-to-weight ratio, making boats built from this material both strong and capable of withstanding harsh marine environments. The lightweight nature of FRP contributes to improved buoyancy and stability, which are crucial for safe boating. Additionally, FRP boats have excellent impact resistance, allowing them to absorb shocks and withstand collisions better than many other materials. Minor damages to FRP boats can be repaired relatively easily and cost-effectively compared to other materials.

The training program aims to build capacity among fishers to use more practical, improved, and modernized fishing vessels, such as FRP boats, which offer a stronger, longer hull life and lower maintenance costs. The training, which also includes FRP maintenance, provides an opportunity for fishers to enhance their boat-building and maintenance skills, thereby supporting the boat-building industry on Bantayan Island.

Participants included members from the FISH Visayas Project partner organizations, such as the Luyongbaybay Farmers Fishermen Association (LUFFA) and the Sulangan Panitugan Planters Association (SPPA), as well as other fisherfolk organizations from Madridejos and Santa Fe.

The trainees underwent both theoretical and practical training. The theoretical sessions covered the properties of fiberglass, safety procedures, and the environmental and economic advantages of using fiberglass over traditional materials. The practical sessions included mold preparation, resin application, laminating, and finishing techniques.

The training was primarily facilitated by the DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) Cebu Provincial Office, with four technical experts leading the sessions: Mr. Aldrin Vargas, Mr. Dexter Piquero, Mr. Vincent Sencio, and Mr. Armando Suelas. Support for the activity was also provided by the local government units of Bantayan, Santa Fe, and Madridejos, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the AFOS Foundation.

The turnover of the newly constructed FRP boats is scheduled for the first week of August, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to modernize and support the fishing industry in Bantayan.

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The Training on Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) boat fabrication aspires to achieve Result Area 1: Training for Fishermen and MSMEs of the FISH Visayas Project.