Secretary Arthur Yap of the Department of Agriculture (DA) launched recently a five-year, P15-million program spearheaded by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Agriculture Research to reinvigorate the fledgling abalone industry in the Philippines and capture the highly lucrative global market for this export product. Yap said the P15 million investment of DA-BFAR in the National Abalone Breeding and Culture Program, "is well worth it," considering that in the first year alone, the six abalone hatcheries and six grow-out farms to be built under this initiative are projected to produce more than 100,000 kilos, which is worth P36 million in the local market and P56.5 million if exported. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Antique has started the implementation of abalone project in two recipient municipalities namely Tobias Fornier and San Jose, disclosed BFAR Provincial Director Rosemarie Nacisvalencia.

Abasquez, E. (2007, July 24). DA-BFAR Invests P15M for Abalone Program. The Daily Guardian, p. 16.