Marcos vows sustainable support for fisheries sector
'Nagtayo ka (Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.) na pala ng malaking cold storage dito. 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 tour and inspection of the General Santos Fish port complex and Ugnayan with the fisherfolk.
(We already have a huge cold storage here but we need to have more. We will find ways to fund more cold storage facilities, and the entire cold chain.)
'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.
(That way, we can ensure that our fish catch is always of high quality, and the sales are always increasing.)
The President said allocating significant resources to the fisheries industry is actually a must given that fish is a staple resource and a healthy option in Filipino diet.
'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.
'Ice plants should also be available in drop off areas of the yield,' he added.
Marcos then said Laurel, former president of Frabelle Fishing Company, is very knowledgeable when it comes to the needs of the fisheries sector.
'We're here to check on you, and our Agriculture secretary knows a lot about your industry, given that it is where he started. He understands your needs and potential,' he said.
Laurel, for his part, said that a testing facility to ensure the high quality of shrimp is also underway.
'The testing facility will ensure that our shrimp is fresh,' Laurel said. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
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