The United Association of Pangasinan Swine Grower, Inc. (UAPSG) in San Fabian, Pangasinan was awarded a total of Php77million under the Department of Agriculture’s Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) program on May 9 at the Capitol Resort Hotel, Lingayen, Pangasinan.

A total of 14 sites, ranging from Pangasinan Districts 2 to District 6, have been approved after a thorough evaluation and document compliance procedure. Of these, two are already breeder-based biosecurity level 2 sites, and the other 12 are already in the grow-out phase.

Each site covers 5.5million which includes the provision of piglets, feeds and the farm owner/recipients’ responsibility to improve its facilities which is necessary for the farm to reach biosecurity level 2.

Ms. Karen Paningbatan, DA – RFO1’s Livestock Banner Program Focal Person, thanked the UAPSG for being persistent in meeting all of the needed paperwork requirements in order to disburse the INSPIRE project’s Php77 million financial allocation.

“Hindi pa po nagtatapos dito ang partnership natin since ang INSPIRE project, it is a consolidation and clustering strategy. So after ng production, sa post harvest naman po tayo magve-venture.” Ms. Karen said.

Meanwhile, DA-RFO1 Regional Executive Director Annie Q. Bares expressed hope that the project will provide a good opportunity to genuinely move on from the ill effects of ASF in Region 1.

“Ituloy tuloy na natin ang pagunlad ng swine industry. Not only in Pangasinan, but also in the whole Region 1.” said RED Bares.

The cheque was awarded to the UAPSG President Mr. Albert Estolas, along with the officials and members of the association, by the Director of the National Livestock Program Dr. Ruth Miclat-Sonaco, Chairman of Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) Engr. Rosendo So, DA – RFO1 RED Annie Bares, OIC of the Provincial Veterinary Office – Pangasinan Dr. Arcely Robeniol, and Livestock Banner Focal Person Ms. Karen Paningbatan.