GENERAL SANTOS City – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has vowed to strengthen the country’s fisheries sector by expanding cold chain infrastructure, saying that cold storage alone is not enough to maintain the quality and market value of fish catch.
“Nagtayo ka (Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.) na pala ng malaking cold storage. Pero kailangan pang dagdagan. Kaya gagawin namin ang lahat para naman masuportahan ‘yung buong…hindi lamang ‘yung cold storage, kung hindi ‘yung buong cold chain,” Marcos said during his visit to this southern fishing hub.
The President emphasized that preserving the freshness of fish from catch to market is critical for ensuring better prices and securing food quality for Filipino consumers.
“Para ‘yung mga huling [isda] natin pagdating sa market ay maganda pa rin, ‘yung quality nung isda ay ma-maintain, para mas maganda ang benta,” he added.
Marcos underscored the strategic importance of the fisheries sector in national food security, noting the country’s geography and the population’s dietary reliance on fish.
“We are composed of 7,000 islands, so the hope is really with the fisheries industries. We need more fish and agricultural ports to reduce transport cost,” he said.
To support this goal, he also pushed for the establishment of ice plants in key drop-off areas to immediately preserve freshly caught fish. “Ice plants should also be available in drop off areas of the yield,” he noted.
The President’s statements come as the government continues to invest in agricultural modernization and infrastructure to lower post-harvest losses and improve incomes for Filipino fisherfolk./PN
