Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan expressed the city's profound gratitude to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. for selecting the Baseco and Tondo areas as the beneficiaries of thousands of kilos of mackerel from a seized smuggled shipment.
“Hindi po matatawaran ang malasakit na ipinapakita ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos sa ating mga Manileño. Ang bawat kahon ng isdang ito ay hindi lang pagkain, kundi simbolo ng pagkalinga ng ating pamahalaan sa mga Manileño. Hindi matitinag ang Maynila sa pagsusulong ng bayanihan at pagkakaisa para sa kapakanan ng bawat pamilyang nangangailangan (The concern shown by President Bongbong Marcos to our Manileños is priceless. Each box of fish is not just food, but a symbol of our government's care for the Manileños. Manila will not waver in promoting solidarity and unity for the welfare of every family in need)," she said.
President Marcos, Jr. and Lacuna-Pangan distributed thousands of boxes to residents. They were accompanied by Manila Vice Mayor John Marvin "Yul Servo" and Manila 5th District Congressman Irwin Tieng.
Each box contained two kilos of frozen mackerel (tulingan), sourced from a large smuggled shipment, confiscated by the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).
She cited the efficient system established by the office of the Manila Department of Social Welfare under Re Fugoso, which, she said, makes it easy to identify beneficiaries and gather them for distribution events at any time.
The mayor said the system is also one of the reasons why it is convenient for Manila to work with Malacañang and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The local chief executive thanked DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Agriculture Francis Tiu Laurel, who assured the beneficiaries that the mackerel are safe for human consumption.
The frozen mackerel, worth about P178.5 million, was imported from China and were confiscated in Tondo, Manila on December 14.
The seized shipment of 21 container vans loaded with the frozen fish arrived at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in October and remained unclaimed by the consignee.
It has been reported that the shipment lacked the necessary Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance.
Laurel then ordered laboratory tests to assess if the frozen mackerels are safe for human consumption, as they will be distributed to communities affected by the recent typhoons.
Early this month, President Marcos, Jr. with Mayor Lacuna-Pangan also jointly distributed Christmas gifts to the wards of the Manila city government-run Boys' Town Complex in Marikina.
Fugoso said some 4,000 packages were given to the wards and even to students and employees at the Valeriano E. Fugoso Memorial School which is located within the Boys' Town complex.
A day before that, President Marcos, Jr. and the mayor also extended help to more than 2,000 families who were rendered homeless during a fire that hit the residential area in Isla Puting Bato in Tondo.