While the Philippines government has recently initiated “good steps” in addressing the country’s post-harvest fish losses, a marine conservation group stressed that solving the problem would require more than band-aid solutions.
In a statement sent to the Office of the President and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), international advocacy organization Oceana lauded President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s announcement to prioritize setting up fish ports and cold storage facilities.
To address the decline in production and post-harvest losses due to spoilage, Marcos, last March 14, gave a directive to build fish ports in 11 coastal provinces on top of those already being constructed at various ports in the cities of General Santos and Cagayan de Oro.
Aside from constructing additional fish ports—which the president expects to be operational by the end of this year—Marcos likewise ordered more cold storage facilities to be built to prevent fish spoilage and improve the country’s fish supply.
“This is welcome news for our artisanal or municipal fisherfolk, especially in coastal areas that could not scale up their post-harvest and cooperative opportunities due to the absence of facilities,” said Oceana.
According to the organization, the administration’s recent initiatives are aligned with the policy objectives that have been in place since the 1998 Fisheries Code.