BACOLOD City – The famous dried fish, locally known as uga, from Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, made history once again at this year’s Negros Trade Fair (NTF) held from September 23 to 28 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura, Taguig City.
All of Cadiz’s uga were sold out during the six-day event, generating over P600,000 in revenue. This mirrors the city’s historic first sell-out at the 2022 NTF in Glorietta Mall 2, Makati City — three years later, Cadiz has repeated the feat.
Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr. expressed delight over the success, noting that it not only boosted local income but also uplifted the morale of small and medium entrepreneurs in the city.
“This is one story that we could be proud of. This is the story of our oga. This is the story of Cadiz,” he said.
Cadiz, dubbed the “Uga Capital” of Negros Occidental, continues to thrive thanks to its vast seascape and robust fishing industry. Its award-winning Avila Mangrove Reserve and Migratory Bird Sanctuary (AMRMBS), recognized as one of the best-managed mangrove areas in the Philippines at the Para El Mar Awards 2025, complements the city’s multi-million-peso fishing and dried fish industries.
The city’s uga industry has also transformed perceptions over the years. Once the subject of the joke, “Basta baho uga, Cadiz na!”, local entrepreneurs, or “ogapreneurs,” have elevated their product to export-quality standards.
Mayor Escalante stressed, “Now, our uga is not just a main sea by-product or a favorite among tourists; it is part of our economic heritage, perfected over time through perseverance. Uga is truly Cadiz’s unique identity — not just locally, but globally.”
He added, “From ‘Basta baho uga — Cadiz na!’ We can now proudly say, ‘Basta manamit nga uga — sa Cadiz lang!’ It’s beyond business — it’s culture, heritage, and history, all in Cadiz.”
The 39th NTF also recorded remarkable overall success, with P54.5 million in spot sales, P97 million in booked business-to-business transactions, totaling P151.5 million, and attracting 41,000 visitors in six days./PN
