WHAT’S all these preoccupation and fixation with galunggong?
Just check out all the news stories and headlines coming from the mainstream media both television and print; it seems there is a national disaster in the level and magnitude of super typhoon “Yolanda” or the Mt. Pinatubo eruption.
They are painting a picture that the natives are all angry and hungry and ready to troop to EDSA and bring the government of President Rodrigo Duterte down.
All this because of a common fish the Tagalogs call galunggong or in English, the blue mackerel scad, round scad or short fin scad.
The galunggong or round scad is a mediocre cheap fish not even eaten as food in most First World countries but used primarily as bait in catching the bigger and better fish.
It is really an ordinary common fish several notches below par to the more sosyal Spanish mackerel” or tangigue and herring which is used to make “Spanish sardines”, you know the ones sold in bottles in the more upscale supermarkets.
Compared to the tawilis, this galunggong is your cheap 3-in-1 instant coffee while tawilis of course is your short cappuccino in Starbucks.
On a personal note, growing up in “I Am Iloilo City” during the ‘60s moi has never heard, much less eaten this galunggong. My Abuela would only allow bacalao and tangigue and the occasional bangus on the dinner table.
If that sounds elitist to you, well it’s not my fault but rather a privilege that my ancestors came on galleons and were not waiting on the shore.
Moi only saw this galunggong as an adult coming to Manila and quite frankly was disgusted at the first sight of this fish.
Moving on, so what’s all these hysteria about galunggong?
Excerpts from an Aug. 22 news story from CNN:
Galunggong importation to begin September — BFAR
Metro Manila — The government will allow the importation of galunggong or round scad beginning September.
In a statement, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Wednesday said the imports will boost stocks.
It cited recent data — gathered from consultations with major fisheries stakeholders — which revealed a low Galunggong production.
Agriculture secretary Manny Piñol approved on Aug. 16 the importation of 17,000 metric tons of fish to boost supply.
BFAR said the importation will begin Sept. 1, and will run for 90 days.
So that’s what all the fuss was all about, the government will import galunggong and really what’s wrong with that?
Another question: Why do we need to import galunggong andso what if there’s a low production or harvest?
It’s not like it’s the only fish the natives of these islands are capable of eating for goodness sake; the Philippines is an archipelago of 7,000 plus islands surrounded by waters. There are hundreds if not thousands of other fishes available.
Still on the importation thing, excerpts from the Sept. 2 issue of Panay News:
Self-sufficient: WV not importing ‘galunggong’
ILOILO City – Western Visayas is not importing Galunggong, or round scad, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 6 said amid fears of formalin-laced supply of the fish species from abroad entering the Philippines. The region is self-sufficient in Galunggong, said the agency.
The 17,000 metric tons of Galunggong that the Philippines started imported on Sept. 1 are intended for the National Capital Region, clarified BFAR regional director Remia A. Aparri.
Aparri said there is a low supply of Galunggong in Philippine markets, hence the need to import, but the imported supplies landing at the Navotas Fish Port are not supposed to end up in wet markets.
The country is importing for processing or institutional buyers, including hotels and restaurants, stressed Aparri.
Aparri further explained that Western Visayas is not largely dependent on Galunggong. In fact the region is self-sufficient in this fish species, she said.
And even with the shortage, “may mga aquaculture products kita coming from fishponds and the sea that will fill the gap,” the BFAR official said.
My Abuela (bless her soul) was right all along. We Ilonggos have more taste and class in choosing the fish we eat. We are not dependent on the galunggong. Our fishponds and seas produce better fish i.e. The managat and the bulgan including our bangus are far superior in taste than the lowly galunggong.
While the people in Metro Manila are in panic because there’s seemingly a shortage in galunggong, we Ilonggos are having our Managat Festival and enjoying the abundance of our seas and fishponds.
So what brought about this atmosphere of hysteria over the importation of galunggong?
Quite simple really, the mainstream media have run out of issues to throw at President Rodrigo Duterte and what better issue to hurl at him than food shortage with images of starving people rioting in the streets of Metro Manila?
Well maybe if galunggong is the only food the people eat and there’s a shortage. But of course, it’s not and we’re no idiots. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
