President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday met with the fisherfolk during his inspection of the General Santos Fish Port Complex (GSFPC) in General Santos City and laid out his plans to upgrade fishing infrastructure and improve the cold chain system in the country.
Speaking to General Santos City’s fishers, Marcos said he visited the GSFPC to see and understand the systems used for fisheries.
He cited the need to build more cold storage facilities and fish ports to ensure and maintain the quality and safety of fish and seafood.
“Kaya’t gagawin naming lahat para masuportahan hindi lamang yung cold storage kung hindi yung buong cold chain para yung nahuhuli natin pagdating sa market ay maganda pa rin at yung quality ng isda ay ma-maintain para siyempre, mas maganda ang benta (We will do everything we can to support not only cold storage but the entire cold chain so that what we catch, when it arrives at the market, is still good and the quality of the fish is maintained so that, of course, sales are better),” he said.
“Napupunta sa fisheries ang pag-asa. Kaya’t kayo muna, tutulungan, gagawin namin ang lahat. ‘Yun na nga, ang mga sistema, magtatayo tayo ng mga fish port, mga agricultural port para mabawasan ang ating transport cost pati ice plant para doon sa maliliit na bagsakan eh merong pagkukuhanan ng yelo (Hope goes to fisheries. So, we will help you, we will do everything, the systems. We will build fish ports, agricultural ports to reduce our transport costs, even ice plants for those small fishing villages, so they can get ice).”
The President acknowledged the fishing sector’s crucial role in achieving food security and sustaining the Philippine economy’s growth.
He said the government, through the Department of Agriculture, would exhaust all efforts to develop the industry.
“Sige lang, patuloy niyo. Malaki ang kontribusyon ng GenSan at lahat ng fisheries industry sa pagpapakain sa buong Pilipinas kaya maraming maraming salamat sa inyong ginagawa, hindi lamang sa food supplies kung hindi pati sa pag-export natin (Go ahead, keep going. GenSan and the entire fisheries industry have made a huge contribution to feeding the entire Philippines, so thank you very much for what you are doing, not only in food supplies but also in our exports),” he said.
During the inspection, Marcos witnessed the tuna trading activities in the fish port, including the unloading, weighing, and grading of fresh tuna for export.
General Santos City, recognized as the center of the Philippine tuna industry, is home to eight major tuna canneries, fish processors, and exporters.
Marcos also led the distribution of livelihood projects from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
These include fish aggregating device/payao; salt production; fishing boats; marine engine; fish farming inputs; village-type fish processing center; fish processing equipment and marketing supplies; and complete seaweed farm implements and maintenance for six seaweed nurseries. (PNA)