From working abroad to support her family, Shirley Dalagan’s transformation from an OFW to a thriving fish farmer is a remarkable story of resilience, determination, and embracing new beginnings. With no prior experience in aquaculture, she overcame every obstacle, turning her lack of knowledge into an inspiring tale of growth and success.
Fish farming had long been a dream for Dalagan and her husband, both OFWs who spent years working in Oman. With their hard-earned savings, they bought a piece of land in Bilar, Bohol, drawn by its abundant water supply—ideal for aquaculture. But turning that dream into reality was far from easy.
“Sa tinagal-tagal namin sa ibang bansa na nagtrabaho doon, napagdesisyunan namin na tumatanda na kami at nasa Pilipinas yung investment namin, so sabi ko sa asawa ko, isa ang magsakripisyo sa amin para sa ganoon hindi kami habang buhay na OFW,” Dalagan shared.
So in 2022, Dalagan decided to return home and take the first steps toward building their fish farm—armed not with technical know-how, but with determination and a deep desire to build a better future from the ground up.
As incubatee of ABS-TBI
Dalagan was chosen as an incubatee of NFRDI’s Aquabiz School-Technology Business Incubation (ABS-TBI) project on giant freshwater prawn (ulang) and tilapia polyculture. But prior to being an incubatee, through the assistance of the local government unit Bilar, she has been attending several trainings to gain knowledge on fish farming.
The goal of the program, is to demonstrate the potential benefits of polyculture technology by identifying an incubatee who will implement it in an aquafarm setting, serving as a model farm for stakeholders and interested individuals
Dalagan was chosen as incubatee based on the criteria set by the project including availability of aqua farm, commitment, and willingness to apply the package of technology (POT), which was based from research.
As a project beneficiary, she received agricultural inputs, including nets, feeds, fertilizer, and lime. Additionally, through our collaboration with BFAR-National Fisheries Development Center in Dagupan and BFAR-Clarin Freshwater Fish Farm in Bohol, she was provided with giant freshwater prawn post-larvae and tilapia fingerlings.
To equip her with the needed knowledge on polyculture production, she participated in lectures and hands-on training organized by NFRDI and BFAR to further develop her expertise in the technology.
Reaping the fruit of labor
On February 19, 2025 Dalagan harvested 50.75 kilos of ulang and 938.25 kilos of tilapia on February 19, 2025 completing her second cycle of production. The harvest was 90 percent higher for ulang and 191 percent higher for tilapia from the first cycle. The percentage increase of survival is 239 percent for ulang and 74 percent for tilapia.
Grown in two ponds with a total area of 1,400 square meter (sqm), the two species were cultured for four months with the POT for giant freshwater prawn and tilapia polyculture.
The feed conversion ratio (FCR) for the second cycle is 7.29 for ulang and 0.87 for tilapia with survival rate of 41.23 percent for ulang and 46.91 percent for tilapia. The average body weight of the harvested species were 19.4 grams for ulang and 398 grams for tilapia.
When asked on the impact of the project, Dalagan said it made a great impact on her life. As a former OFW with zero knowledge on fish farming, she mentioned that she was glad to be part of the project.
“Malaki ang impact sa akin ng project na ito kase wala akong experience sa aquaculture pero nung na-involve ako project na ito, throughout ng pag-aalaga marami akong natutunan, kase hands-on din ako,” she said. “Yung seminar at training na na-provide ng NFRDI sa akin, yung natutunan ko, shine-share ko sa mga customer na pumupunta dito sa farm,” she added.
She encouraged others to go into aquaculture because of the immediate return of income. “Maganda ang fish farming, mabilis ang return of income kase within 3-4 months pwede mo na siyang iharvest, depende sa pag-aalalaga. Huwag kang mag-give up. Kase makikila ka lalo na kung bagong technologies ang i-aaply mo.”
At the Bilar market, Dalagan stands out as the only vendor selling live tilapia. Every Sunday, she brings her harvest not only to sell, but also to showcase the technology behind her aquafarm. Her fresh, live tilapia has become a favorite among customers, who appreciate being able to cook their fish straight from the tank.
To those who are interested in fish farming but have no prior experience, Shirley offers this heartfelt advice: “Para sa mga nagbabalak mag-fish farming, ipagpatuloy n’yo lang kase may benepisyo talaga. Kung hindi man magtagumpay sa una o ikalawa, huwag kayong susuko. Lalo na kung bagong teknolohiya ang gagamitin n’yo, makikilala kayo.”
Her journey proves that even without a background in aquaculture, success is possible with perseverance, patience, and a willingness to learn. ### (Rita dela Cruz)
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