Fish landing center opens in Marinduque

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) has put up a fish landing center in Marinduque, its first for this year, in a bid to increase harvest and eventually lower prices.

Located in Mogpog, Marinduque, the P3 million fish landing center is one of the five planned to be established in the province.

The project is located in the Port of Balanacan, a major port where vessels from the port of Lucena traverse carrying goods and tourists from Manila and other areas of the country.

“This center will serve as a post where fisherfolks can market their products. It can also be a gateway where they can receive and export their products,” Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.

The fish landing center is equipped with stainless display shelves and chest freezers that will keep products fresh for a longer period of time.

The DA also distributed P12 million worth of agricultural interventions and assistance packages in line with the government’s initiatives to provide projects targeted to alleviate poverty and generate economic transformation.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) likewise turned over a 15-seater speedboat for patrolling the provincial waters where poachers are often sighted.

Marinduque, dubbed as the “Heart of the Philippines,” is composed of 37 barangays where 80 percent of its citizens rely on agriculture for livelihood.