Press Release
May 25, 2022

IMEE: STOP "MIDNIGHT MADNESS" AT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Senator Imee Marcos has again called out the Department of Agriculture (DA) for "another attempt to pull off a midnight deal" while the nation focused on the official vote count for president and vice president in Congress.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, drew attention to Administrative Order 10-2022 signed Monday by Agriculture Secretary William Dar, which gave the go signal to import 38,695 metric tons of small pelagic fish like galunggong (round scad), sardines, and mackerel to be sold in wet markets.

"The DA's midnight madness goes on, from contriving a shortage earlier this year while a large supply was still in storage to bypassing outright the NFARMC (National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council)," Marcos said.

"The closed fishing season is over and our local fishermen are back to their livelihood, so why is the DA issuing CNIs (certificates of necessity to import)?" the senator added.

Section 61-c of the Fisheries Code requires the DA to consult with the NFARMC on decisions affecting stakeholders in the fishing industry.

But Jaydrick Yap, an NFARMC member and president of the Southern Fishing Deep Sea Corporation (SOPHIL), told Marcos's office that the need to import fish was "never discussed" during the second-quarter consultation meeting last April 29.

The DA has pointed to a shortage in fish supply and the gradual increase in wet market prices to justify its latest administrative order, but Marcos disagrees.

"As far as the commercial fishing and aquaculture industry is concerned, there is no shortage in local fish supply and any increase in fish prices would be due to rising fuel costs," Marcos explained.


(Tagalog version)

IMEE: "MIDNIGHT MADNESS" SA DEP'T OF AGRICULTURE, ITIGIL NA!

Pinatitigil ni Senador Imee Marcos ang muling pagtatangka ng Department of Agriculture (DA) na ilusot ang isang "midnight deal" habang abala at nakapokus ang buong bansa sa opisyal na bilangan ng boto para sa pagka-presidente at bise-presidente sa Kongreso.

Una nang napuna ni Marcos, chairman ng Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, ang inilabas na Administrative Order 10-2022 na pirmado ni Agriculture Secretary William Dar, na hudyat para sa importasyon ng 38,695 metriko toneladang 'small pelagic fish' tulad ng galunggong (round scad), sardinas, at mackerel na ibebenta sa mga palengke.

"Tuloy-tuloy ang 'midnight madness' o kahibangan ng DA sa importasyon mula sa gawa-gawa o imbentong mga kakapusan noong unang bahagi pa lang ng taong ito, gayong marami pang nakaimbak na supply ng isda, at ngayon naman ibinabalewala ang pag-konsulta sa NFARMC (National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council)," diin ni Marcos.

"Tapos na ang closed fishing season at kababalik lang sa kanilang kabuhayan ang mga lokal na mga mangingisda, eh bakit nag-iisyu ang DA ng mga CNI (certificate of necessity to import)?" tanong ni Marcos.

Sa ilalim ng Section 61-c ng Fisheries Code, inoobliga ang DA na kumonsulta sa NFARMC sa mga desisyong nakaaapekto sa mga stakeholder sa industriya ng pangingisda.

Pero ayon sa pahayag sa senadora ni Jaydrick Yap, miyembro ng NFARMC at presidente ng Southern Fishing Sea Corporation (SOPHIL), hindi kailanman natalakay sa second-quarter consultation meeting noong Abril 29 ang pangangailangan sa panibagong importasyon ng isda.

Kinontra ni Marcos ang katwiran ng DA na kapos ang supply sa isda at tumataas ang presyo nito sa mga palengke kaya naglabas ng panibagong kautusan para sa importasyon ng isda.

"Kung industriya ng commercial fishing at aquaculture ang pag-uusapan, walang kakapusan sa lokal na supply ng isda at ang anumang pagtaas sa presyo nito ay dahil sa tumataas na presyo ng langis," paliwanag ni Marcos.

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