IMEE: FAKE SHORTAGE A PRETEXT FOR FISH IMPORTS

Senator Imee Marcos has called out the Department of Agriculture (DA) for conjuring a "fake shortage" to justify the importation of 60,000 metric tons (MT) of fish.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on economic affairs, asserted that there is ample supply of fish for the first quarter of the year and that importation would only deal a fatal blow to local fisheries.

"Stop this rampant importation that will kill our local fisheries," Marcos said.

"We have enough fish from stocks unsold in 2021 and yet to be delivered until March. The closed fishing season is also about to end," Marcos explained.

The DA claims that the damage wrought by Typhoon Odette to the fishery sector in December demanded the importation of galunggong (round scad), sardines, and mackerel, while the annual fishing ban remains in effect between November and February.

But January 12 data of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - Fisheries Inspection and Quarantine Division show that only 14,349 MT of fish have been sold in the market, out of the 60,000 MT allocated to 25 importers who have applied for 48,985 MT so far.

Thus, almost 35,000 MT of fish in storage and incoming shipments will be available, apart from the 11,015 MT still open for import applications, Marcos pointed out.

Marcos lamented that the DA turned a deaf ear to a unanimous recommendation of the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) that there was "no need for the issuance of a certificate of necessity to import for the first quarter of 2022," as stated in the council's Resolution No. 3, Series of 2022.

The NFARMC is an advisory and recommendatory body that must be consulted by the DA under Section 61 of the Fisheries Code.

Marcos intends to file a Senate resolution this week to investigate the issue.

IMEE: SUPPLY NG ISDA, 'WAG PEKEING KAPOS PARA MAKAPAG-IMPORT!

Pinadedepensa ni Senador Imee Marcos sa Department of Agriculture kung bakit nagkunwaring kapos ang supply ng isda sa bansa para mabigyang katwiran ang importasyon ng 60,000 metric tons ( MT) na isda.

Iginiit ni Marcos bilang chairman ng Senate committee on economic affairs na may sapat na supply ang bansa at papatayin lang ng importasyon ang kabuhayan ng mga lokal na mangingisda.

"Itigil na ang malawakang importasyon na papatay sa mga lokal na pangingisda," diin ni Marcos.

"May sapat na supply tayo ng isda mula sa mga hindi pa naibentang naka-imbak noong 2021 at nakatakdang i-deliber hanggang Marso. Bukod dyan, matatapos na rin naman ang closed fishing season," paliwanag ni Marcos.

Una nang ikinatwiran ng DA na pininsala ng bagyong Odette ang sektor ng pangisda noong nakaraang Disyembre kaya inihirit ang importasyon ng galunggong, sardinas at mackerel habang umiiral ang taunang fishing ban mula Nobyembre hanggang Pebrero.

Pero sa datos ng Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Fisheries Inspection and Quarantine Division noong ika-12 nitong Enero, lumitaw na tanging 14,349 MT ng isda ang nabenta sa merkado, mula sa 60,000 MT na inilaan sa 25 mga importer na nag-apply para sa 48,985 MT.

Halos 35,000 MT ng mga isda na naka-imbak o paparating pang shipment ang magiging available, bukod pa sa 11,015 MT na bukas pa para sa mga aplikanteng importer," banggit ni Marcos.

Kinwestyon ni Marcos bakit nagbingi-bingihan ang DA sa nagkakaisang rekomendasyon ng National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) na wala namang pangangailangan para mag-isyu ng certificate of necessity to import sa unang quarter ng 2022, ayon na rin sa Resolution No. 3, Series 2022 ng nasabing konseho.

Ang NFARMC ang tumatayong taga-bigay payo at rekomendasyon sa DA kaya kailangang konsultahin muna ito, sa ilalim na rin ng Section 61 ng Fisheries Code.

Sa harap nito, maghahain si Marcos ng Senate Resolution sa linggong ito para imbestigahan o busisiin ang nasabing usapin.