BFAR-7 assures enough supply of fish in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines —  The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-7 has assured that there is enough fish supply in the market amid the ongoing enhanced community quarantine in Cebu City.

BFAR said the fish landing centers in Barangays Pasil and Ermita are monitored by them and the Cebu Provincial Fishery Office.

According to BFAR-7, fish suppliers are even complaining that they have an oversupply of fish because fish traders are having a problem passing through border checkpoints. 

"Vendors complain of slow fish trade owing to travel or movement restrictions imposed in the province. They appeal to local officials that fish dealers and buyers from other towns and cities have to be allowed to pass through borders to ensure that fish products will be available in the markets across the province," read BFAR-7’s post on Facebook.

 Pasil fish landing center is the biggest in Cebu and one of the main sources of fish products in the province and its nearby areas.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-IED) has called on all local government units to allow unhampered passage of food and agricultural commodities into their localities.

The IATF-IED passed Resolution No. 14 on March 20 amending further the government strategies in managing the COVID-19 situation.

Section C of the resolution reiterates “its earlier resolution to ensure the unimpeded movement of all types of cargo (food and non-food), and allow the passage of personnel of business establishments permitted to operate during the Enhanced Community Quarantine, subject to the presentation of proof of employment, and residence.”

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the Department of Agriculture has been continuously appealing to the local government units to help ensure unhampered movement of all cargoes, agriculture and fishery inputs, food products, and agribusiness personnel nationwide.

The DA earlier reported that food supply, specifically rice and other basic commodities, remains enough to feed the Filipinos for the year.

"Our actual monitoring and projections in production show that we have enough. We just need to move the supplies from their origins to areas where they are most needed,” Dar said in a statement. FPL (FREEMAN)