Marcos orders setting up of cold storage facilities at fish ports

This photo taken on July 5, 2022, shows workers filling containers with a fishing boat’s catch at a port in Masinloc town, Zambales province, after an expedition in the South China Sea. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday ordered the setting up of several cold storage facilities at various fish ports across the country to address the decline in production and post-harvest losses because of spoilage, among others.

He issued the directive during a sectoral meeting with officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA),  Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Cooperative Development Authority.

“So we decided that one of the areas that was identified was the spoilage of the fish doon sa handling from galing sa bangka, galing sa fishing boat, hanggang sa bagsakan, hanggang sa palengke napakalaki ang nagiging spoilage,” Marcos said in a video interview after the meeting.

(We identified that fish spoilage usually happens between transport from fishing boats to ports and markets.)

Addressing the declining fishery production and reducing post-harvest losses were also discussed during the meeting, to which Marcos said cold storage facilities are the solution.

“Ang naging solusyon diyan ay maglagay ng cold storage facilities doon sa mga bagsakan ng isda para ma-preserve naman ‘yung isda at hindi natin kailangan itapon ang maraming nasisira, napapanis na isda,” he said, noting that move is also to improve the supply of fish in the country.

(The solution we saw was to put up cold storage facilities in fish ports to preserve the fish, and we won’t need to throw them away due to spoilage.)

According to BFAR, fish spoilage is between 25 to 40 percent due to the lack of post-harvest equipment like blast freezers, ice-making machines, and facilities like cold storage warehouses and fish landing sites.

Marcos said if the country could lower the catch’s spoilage between 8 to 10 percent, the Philippines would no longer depend on importing fish from other nations.

He said the plan is to build 11 more cold storage facilities on top of those already being constructed at various ports in the cities of General Santos and Cagayan de Oro, adding that he expects the cold storage facilities to be operational by the end of this year.

“So gumawa kami ng plano, may plano ongoing. Nagtatayo tayo ng cold storage facilities. May expansion sa mga ibang lugar kagaya ng GenSan, ng CDO, mayroon na silang facility at mayroon pang mga ilalagay sa ibang lugar. Altogether 11 areas we will be installing cold storage,” the President said.

(So we created a plan, which is ongoing. We are putting up cold storage facilities. There will be an expansion in some areas since they already have facilities.)

“Doon sa mga mas maliliit na bagsakan ay mag-provide naman kami ng ice-making machine para naman puwedeng ilagay kaagad sa yelo para tumagal naman na sariwa ‘yung mga isda,” he added.

(For areas with smaller ports, we will provide ice-making machines so the catch can be put on ice immediately so that the fish will stay fresh longer.)

Marcos also underscored the need to boost aquaculture in the country by modernizing fishponds to increase production.

“Ang pinakamalaking problema na nakita namin is the provision of credit na binibigyan – may pautang para sa ating mga fishermen para naman meron silang gagamitin, mayroon silang puhunan para pagandahin ang kanilang fishpond,” he said.

(The biggest problem we saw is the provision of credit – there are loans for fishermen to use.)

“Tapos ‘yung conversion to fish cage na mas malaki ang production kasi ‘pag fish cage. So ‘yung ganyang klaseng teknolohiya kailangan natin ituro at syempre kailangan natin bigyan ng pondo para ‘yung mga bagong gamit, ‘yung mga kailangan na supplies ay may makuha naman ang ating mga fishermen,” he added.

(Then, the production of fish cages will help increase production. That kind of technology is what we need to teach to our fishermen, and then we need to give them funds for new equipment and supplies required.)

Marcos said they are likewise looking at mariculture to bolster the country’s food security and fish output.

“Mayroon mga iba’t ibang lugar sa Pilipinas na mayroong mga maliliit na operation tungkol diyan. Ngunit sa aking palagay dahil malaki ang market para sa mga – ‘yung garoupa, ‘yung mga siganid, ‘yung mga snapper, ‘yung mamahalin na isda ay pwede pa natin i-export ‘yan kung maganda ang ating sistema,” he said.

(There are places in the Philippines that have small operations of mariculture. But I think since we have a huge market for certain fish, we can export the more expensive ones with a better system.)

“Kaya’t tiningnan namin, gagawa kami ng plano, ng DA, Fisheries, gagawa kami ng plano para ma-encourage, para naman hihikayatin natin na ‘yung ating mga negosyante pumasok sa mariculture para matulungan ang ating mga mangingisda para matulungan ang kanilang value added,” the President  added.

(So we’ll check, make a plan – DA, BFAR, and create a plan to encourage our businessmen to explore mariculture to help fishermen.)

Mariculture or marine farming is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other animal products in enclosed sections of open ocean, fish farms built on littoral waters, or in artificial tanks, ponds, or raceways that are filled with seawater.

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