The Department of Agriculture – Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (DA-PFDA) and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) have agreed to work together in various aspects of fisheries infrastructure development, marketing, and related activities.
On September 8, the agreement was signed by PFDA Navotas Fish Port Complex Manager Luz P. Ortiz, PFDA Assistant General Manager Iris R. De Vera, PFDA General Manager Glen A. Pangapalan, SMC General Manager Karen V. Ramos, and SMC Senior Engineer Reynaldo Caynila.
The MOU signing ceremony was witnessed by Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban and Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Esther E. Bayate.
As part of this partnership, PFDA has allowed SMC to lease an area of PFDA-owned land to facilitate the construction of the Southern Access Link Expressway Project (SALEX) in accordance to the 2022 Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement (STOA).
The lease is for 25 years and can be renewed by mutual agreement every 25 years. The project’s primary goal is to create an efficient and direct route to the New Manila International Airport (Bulacan Airport) being developed by SMC, which will help maximize its economic benefit to the country. ### (Photos by Joseph Henry Elamparo, DA-AFID)
