FIRST Philippine Industrial Park, through its water arm FPIP Utilities, Inc. (FUI), partnered with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 4A (BFAR 4A) to release 20,000 tilapia fingerlings into the San Juan River in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
Anchored on the theme Replenish and Restore: Fish Release Initiative, the dispersal activity was conducted to help improve the condition in the San Juan River by adding fish to the waterway, contributing to the river’s natural balance. It also supports BFAR’s Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL)
Program, which focuses on rehabilitating rivers, lakes, dams and reservoirs. BFAR 4A Aquaculture Technologist John Dominick Mortel highlighted the significance of the initiative, stating, “Today, we gather to release fingerlings into the San Juan River, which serves as our commitment to nature and for future generations. Each fingerling we release represents hope for healthier waterways, greater biodiversity, and better economic opportunities that will benefit our livelihood communities.”
For its part, FPIP noted the activity is part of its commitment to the rehabilitation and protection of the San Juan River.
“As FPIP continues to grow and support industries, we recognize our responsibility to reduce our impact on the environment,” said Nelson Lontok, operations planning manager for FPIP’s Water Resource Management Group.
“The San Juan River is a source of life not just for FPIP, but also for our community. The fish release activity is just one of the steps we are taking as part of our commitment to its rehabilitation. We have adopted and now manage a six-kilometer stretch, which we maintain through quarterly river cleanups, together with our locators and other partners. We have also installed a trash trap along the Poblacion 1 section of the San Juan River to help prevent waste from flowing downstream and affecting surrounding areas, ” he added.
Representatives from the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau CALABARZON Region (DENR-EMB-4A), City Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENRO) of Sto. Tomas and Tanauan, and the barangays of Sta. Anastacia and Ulango also attended the activity, reflecting a shared commitment to protecting the San Juan River.
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