SAFE Black Soldier Fly Project Calabarzon

14/05/2026

May 14, 2026:

The Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) along with the City Nutrition Committee visited the Trece Martires Black Soldier Fly Production Facility at the Material Recovery Facility in Barangay De Ocampo. The site visit was conducted as part of their activities in the 2026 Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol (MELLPI Pro) for the City Government of Trece Martires from May 12 to 14, 2026.

MELLPI Pro is an annual inter-agency initiative led by the National Nutrition Council (Official) to monitor and evaluate the nutrition security programs and performance of local government units through Local Nutrition Focal Points (LNFPs) vis-à-vis nutrition outcomes.

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11/05/2026

08/05/2026

May 7, 2026: To start with the Farmers and Fisherfolk Month, FITS Trece Martires Agriculture in partnership with DA-Calabarzon's SAFE BSF Project team conducted the Training on Black Soldier Fly Production and Management for Micro and Small-Scale Sites. The training prepares the ten farmer beneficiaries on the tasks and processes involved in black soldier fly rearing and production through information drives and hands-on experience. BSF Starter Kits and informational brochures were released after the training to start their production.

In addition to the Trece Martires BSF Production Facility inside the Material Recovery Facility in Barangay De Ocampo, a total of seven farm sites were assessed and established under the project. Each site will be operated by farmer beneficiaries across seven barangays: Cabezas, Cabuco, Conchu, Hugo Perez, Lusiano, and San Agustin. The setup prepares Trece Martires City to have in-situ organic waste management sites in addition to the centralized Material Recovery Facility. The system will also produce agricultural by-products that the farmer beneficiaries can utilize and market as animal feed and fertilizer.

The City Agriculture Office and the DA CALABARZON continues to help nurture our farmers with technical support, potential income-generating technologies, and resources. Through the project, environmental sustainability and circular economy is integrated towards their bountiful harvest.

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27/04/2026

A group of University of the Philippines Rural High School students visited DA-QARES under the supervision of Dr. Engelbert Lalican of DOST-PCAARRD. The visit was conducted as a benchmarking activity for their capstone project assessing the readiness of San Pablo City in incorporating BSF technology as a potential solution to its organic waste.

The group were welcomed by the SAFE BSF Project CALABARZON team, conducting a technology briefer and site tour for the visitors. The project team is set to provide technical support regarding the students' endeavors on adopting the technology.

23/04/2026

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) & the Office of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (OPENRO) Cavite visited the Trece Martires Black Soldier Fly Facility on Earth Day, April 22, 2026. The visit was in line with the LGU Compliance Assessment (LGU-CA) for Solid Waste Management for DILG Manila Bay Clean-up, Rehabilitation, and Preservation Program (MBCRPP). LGU-CA is an audit of LGU's waste management practices pursuant to G.R. Nos. 171947-48 assessed by a National Inter-Agency Committee
(NIAC), and Regional Inter-Agency Committees (RIAC) for National Capital Region (NCR), Region 3 (Central Luzon), and Region 4-A (CALABARZON).

The DILG and OPENRO officials, Ma. Alyssa Cortes, Mr. Mark Gil Sango, Ms. Ray Ann Avilla, Mr. Rhyianne Mejico were welcomed by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office - CENRO Trece Martires City led by City Environmental and Natural Resources Officer, Architect Ronnie Javier, together with our site staff, Mr. Gatdula Jr.






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21/04/2026

This , power isn’t just policy. It’s the people. It is the communities choosing systems that work with nature, not against it. From farmers to researchers to everyday households, each small action builds something bigger.

This year’s theme, is all about the collective impact we can make, together. We would also like to celebrate our project collaborators. Without a community, circular economy would not thrive.

Like black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), each individual larva can only reduce waste equivalent to its weight. Through sheer number, organic waste management systems can thrive off of their appetite. These small insects contribute to our planet's conservation. And they do it everyday.

Because protecting the planet isn’t a once-a-year event. It’s a daily practice.

13/04/2026

April 13, 2026:
A team of researchers and professors from Bulacan Agricultural State College held a benchmarking visit at QARES for Black soldier fly technology. The team composed of Dr. Imee Esguerra, Rodelio Tobias Alejo Jr., Ashlee Viagedor, Joanna Marie Bradecina, and Aisanne McNatt engaged in a warm discussion with the project team on the insect management practices and tested some hands-on activities involved in production.

The college plans to integrate the BSF setup for the S&T Community-based Farm, as was also mentioned that several undergraduates are currently pursuing their thesis based on BSF technology. This technological advancements is also in line with the school’s Sustainability Policies & Pollution and Waste Management and Recycling Program. Bulacan is a key agricultural site where agricultural excess and losses can be a potential source of substrate. The creation of a state college-led BSF facility can generate more research and hands-on demonstrations toward environmental sustainability and community-based agricultural technology.

10/04/2026

April 10, 2026:

This morning, representatives from Fujita Corporation visited DA-QARES for a benchmarking meeting with the SAFE BSF Project team and DOST-PCAARRD on the Black soldier fly farming technology and production. The corporation and the project team exchanged information regarding the practices, policies, and scaling involved in their respective production systems. The meeting has strengthened interest in collaborating with each party to upscale insect farming in the Philippine setting.

06/04/2026

April 6, 2026:
This afternoon, third-year Computer Engineering students from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo visited QARES to scope research interests for their design project thesis. The group, led by Ms. Carbonero, envisions mechanization and sensory technology on local agricultural production as their target scope.
Through the SAFE BSF Project, LGUs have been capacitated on the combined waste management system and agricultural production through insect farming. However, most of the processes still rely on manual labor and can be refined through mechanization and sensory technology.
Designing barangay-level BSF bio composting stations can potentially be a community-participatory innovation. The feasibility of these manually-operated sites will also be tackled by the project through our partnered farmers. In relation to this, automated maintenance and monitoring of such sites were suggested as possible innovations for their design project. These parallel research studies may contribute towards a more sustainable approach in addressing rising wastage and demand for feed & fertilizer amid the soaring energy prices.