Photos by John Pagaduan.
Biyaheng Bukid Day 3
SURIGAO’S ABUNDANT FISH CATCH
SHOWS NEED FOR FOOD TERMINALS
SHOWS NEED FOR FOOD TERMINALS
By Manny Piñol
Everytime I travel by land from Manila to Mindanao, I never miss the chance of dropping by the Surigao City fish market where I would buy fresh sea products and have these cooked in the eateries right inside the market.
Yesteray, Day 3 of Biyaheng Bukid, I did exactly the same thing but this time around, I was no longer the eager sea food lover who wanted to enjoy breakfast but somebody who was thinking of ways to bring Surigao’s fresh catch to the rest of the country.
Photos by John Pagaduan.
Imagine this: Yesterday, even with the full moon when catching fish would be a difficult task for fishermen, fresh anchovies (dilis) were sold for P50 per kilo while large squid whose freshness was manifested by its constantly changing color pattern was P180 per kilo.
Photos by John Pagaduan.
Facing the vast Pacific Ocean, Surigao Province and the Islands of Dinagat and Siargao are rich fishing grounds which could be the source of fresh seafood for many areas in the country, including Cebu City, Metro Manila and Baguio City.
Photos by John Pagaduan.
Without any cold storage, blast freezing facilities and an efficient means of transportation, the products of the seas of Surigao will just be a mouthwatering sight for people in Metro Manila.
Photos by John Pagaduan.
This is exactly what President-elect Rody Duterte meant when he said during the campaign that for food to be “Available and Affordable,” there must be an efficient food positioning strategy where items produced in abundance in one region of the country could be brought to other areas where these are scarce.
Photos by John Pagaduan.
Duterte knows this very well because his farmers back in Davao City also face the same problem.
Photos by John Pagaduan.
Photos by John Pagaduan.
While tropical fruits like Durian, Pomelo, Mangosteen, Rambutan, Lanzones and others are abundant in Davao City and the surrounding provinces like North Cotabato, shipping them to Metro Manila via the commercial flights is simply ridiculously expensive.
Government must really invest in fast and efficient transport facilities to position vital food commodities in the different regions of the country so that these would be available and affordable for the Filipino consumers.
In 2010, I proposed to then Presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III a concept which I called the Philippine Food Skyway where government would build feeder airports in key production areas and acquire cargo transport planes, or even just use existing Philippine Air Force C-130s, to move highly perishable products to the market.
When I met him again in 2013, President Aquino told me that DA Secretary Proceso Alcala disapproved the proposal saying that the concept would be too expensive and government would lose money.
Of course, that is not true. Fresh Rambutan fruits are sold for only P15 per kilo during peak season and even if an additional P50 per kilo is charged for its transport, it would still be very affordable at say P80 in the market in Metro Manila.
I wanted to disagree but it was the President telling me that.
With President Duterte now, who listens to ideas like this, I might just succeed in implementing his vision of a National Food Positioning Strategy which would make available vital food commodities in areas where these are needed.
In the case of the abundant fish catch of Surigao, I intend to go back to the area again after President Duterte has assumed office and start working on a viable plan to establish a cold storage facility and come up with a viable transport system to bring the sea products to Metro Manila, Cebu and other big cities.
When that time comes, the people of Baguio City would also get to taste the seafoods that make me come back to the fish market of Surigao City every time I pass by that road.
(Photo shows ex-boxer Christopher Saluday who fought in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Rakiatgym fight in Davao City in 2002 shows off a large squid priced at P180 per kilo. Other photos show the bounty of the Surigao seas including Anchovies for P50 per kilo.)
Source:Manny Piñol
