Casilao: Importation of ‘poor man’s fish’ insulting to local fishers

Photo courtesy of the Office of Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao

Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao denounced the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday for its planned importation of around 17,000 metric tons of galunggong (round scads), saying the move both insults Filipino fishers and kills their livelihood.

In a statement, Casilao lamented how “the Duterte administration has become addicted to importation” when it comes to solving the problem of skyrocketing prices of basic goods in the country.

“The Department of Agriculture and the National Food Authority have only one thing in mind every time they try to explain the conundrum of continuing price spikes of basic commodities in the local market. They think of massive importation as a magic wand that will make inflation disappear if they wagged it strongly and repeatedly enough,” Casilao said.

On Aug. 15, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol signed an administrative order allowing the importation of 17,000 metric tons of galunggong to address the rising prices of the fish variety in the market. The DA admits that this move is only a short-term solution.

Galunggong has been called “the poor man’s fish” because of its previous affordability.

READ: ‘Galunggong’ imports to stabilize fish prices

Casilao said the shortage of galunggong, as well as common fish species like sardines in the local market, was basically due to the government’s “inability to regulate fish catch particularly of big commercial fishing vessels.”

“It is highly ironic that we have 7,100 islands, an archipelago with a 2.2 million sq km of seas known to house an abundance of various types of fish but now we are importing fish. Certainly this is alarming,” he added.

Casilao said their group is one with Pamalakaya and consumer group Bantay Bigas, which staged a protest action in front of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) earlier in the day to oppose the planned galunggong importation.

Casilao explained that the spike of its price was the “combination of the impending closed season, the effects of the TRAIN Law on fuel, mainly used by local fishers and unregulated fishing, particularly of big fishing vessels.”

He also warned that only big fish traders would benefit from the importation as they would have the last say on the pricing, adding that there’s no assurance that galunggong prices will have a rollback once the importation happens.

Casilao said instead of importing galunggong, the Duterte administration through the DA, “should support our local fishers with provisions for proper catch equipment, subsidies and other support services to increase their catch and help boost their income.”

“The government should also put into consideration the effects of the TRAIN law on fuel prices,” he added.

The congressman also warned the public against buying and consuming imported fish, saying unscrupulous traders “put formaldehyde on imported fish as a preservative.”

“We urge Congress to investigate this formaldehyde-injecting practice,” Casilao said. /muf