Maguindanao del Norte — In an official mission to Mindanao, His Excellency Ambassador Endo Kazuya of the Embassy of Japan and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran spearheaded the handover of a solar-powered ice block-making facility to the municipal government of Parang, Maguindanao del Norte under the under the Enhancing Food Security and Livelihood in Bangsamoro (JSB-FSL) project of UNDP Philippines, being funded by the Government of Japan.

In support of Parang’s fisherfolk community, UNDP Philippines, through the JSB-FSL project, and upon the request of the municipal local government, commissioned the installation of a solar-powered ice block-making facility. The facility is located near one of the province’s fishlanding centers and public market. The municipal government contributed significantly to the land preparation and construction of roofing and protective structures around the facility.

Parang is a coastal town in the Province of Maguindanao del Norte, located along the eastern coast of the Iranun Bay. The area has rich fresh and marine waters, with coastal and marine fishing areas like bays and straits, as well as inland waters like marshlands and rivers. Fishing is among the major sources of livelihood and food security in the province. 

Parang Municipal Mayor Cahar Ibay highlighted the strategic importance of their location. “Parang is the center of trade among the five municipalities of the Iranun Corridor, hence the facility will not only benefit our community in Parang, but the neighboring municipalities as well. Unity and cooperation of the five municipalities is vital for development of the region,” Mayor Ibay said. 

The handover activity took place during the week-long Iranun Peace Festival, which celebrates the culture and unwavering commitment to peace and unity among the Iranun Community. In a show of support, municipal mayors of the adjoining towns in the Iranun Corridor – Mayor Tomawis of Barira, Mayor Manalao-Masurong of Buldon, Mayor Bansil-Guro of Matanog, and Mayor Panda of Sultan Mastura—joined the ceremony. 

The installation of the ice making facility seeks to address one of the most common difficulties of fisherfolk in Mindanao—preserving the freshness of their catch due to a lack of ice and cold storage facilities. Weak and unreliable power supply in the area has made it impossible to set up and sustain industrial level ice storage facilities. 

In his keynote message, Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya noted that: “As a coastal town, Parang’s waters remain a valuable source of sustenance and livelihood for many of its people. I hope the introduction of a solar-powered ice making facility and its technology can help ensure such resources are harnessed efficiently. In helping attain socio-economic development with aspiration for self-sufficiency and community empowerment, we hope to foster a more resilient and cohesive community—one that contributes to the overall stability and peace in the region.”

By providing a solar-powered ice block making facility, fisherfolk in Parang can overcome challenges in transport and power supply. This technology can help enhance the profitability of fishing communities by eliminating their dependency on distant ice suppliers, reducing their operational costs, and increasing their bargaining power in pricing their fish. The use of solar power technology also offers a more reliable and environmentally friendly source of energy for the ice-making process.

These handovers are part of UNDP Philippines’ broader strategy and long-term commitment to bring in more sustainable solutions directly to communities. The projects’ interventions are expected to contribute to the development of the region, particularly in normalization and community transformation.

“The handover of the solar-powered ice block-making facility symbolizes UNDP’s commitment to economic development in the Bangsamoro. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to integrate sustainable energy solutions in local industries. By harnessing solar power, we reduce our carbon footprint and provide a reliable and cost-effective energy source, resilient to the region’s infrastructure challenges,” said UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran. 

The facility in Parang is the third ice block-making machine handed over by UNDP Philippines to fishing communities in Mindanao—the first two being in Datu Mantil and Datu Binasing in Pigcawayan, Special Geographic Area of BARMM. 

The Enhancing Food Security and Livelihood in Bangsamoro (FSL) project, funded through the Japan Supplemental Budget (JSB), aims to support, and sustain peacebuilding and recovery in the Bangsamoro through contributing to the delivery of peace dividends to long suffering, marginalized, and underserved communities. More specifically, the project seeks to improve access to food and livelihood towards supporting the recovery and transformation of communities affected by conflict. 

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