House Speaker Martin Romualdez has vowed full congressional support for President Marcos' plan to establish 10 state-of-the-art fish ports nationwide in a bid to improve the country’s food security.

“Matapang na naglalayag ang ating mga mangingisda upang sila ay maiuwing mga yamang-dagat at mailako sa ating mga merkado. Ang kanilang tapang at tiyaga ay dapat mabigyan ng angkop na suporta mula sa pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng makabagong mga pasilidad,” Romualdez said in a statement Saturday, Aug. 16.

(Our fishermen bravely set sail to bring home marine resources and sell them in our markets. Their courage and perseverance must be given proper support from the government through modern facilities.)

The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president assured that the 20th Congress will judiciously deliberate on proposed appropriations for the agri-fishery sector under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to ensure prudent allocation of resources for productivity and growth.

Incidentally, the House Committee on Appropriations will kick off deliberations on the P6.793-trillion NEP on Monday, Aug. 18. The NEP will serve as the basis of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget.

Romualdez lauded the President for pushing the construction of new fish ports equipped with advanced technologies such as cold storage facilities, rather than merely rehabilitating existing ones.

“The President’s decision to establish modern cold storage facilities is a prudent investment that will significantly enhance our food supply chain, boost the income of our agriculture workers, and ensure their produce will reach our tables,” the Speaker said.

“We will continue to support the Marcos administration’s vision of laying down the groundwork and instituting reforms to help our farmers and fisherfolk improve their livelihood while ensuring our nation’s food security,” he added.

Romualdez made the remarks following the President’s inauguration of the upgraded Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) Iloilo Fish Port Complex in Barangay Tanza-Baybay, Iloilo City on Wednesday.

During the event, President Marcos announced the plan to establish 10 new fish ports with advanced facilities and technology to bolster government support for the agri-fishery sector.

The President said these ports will benefit more than two million Filipino fishermen and help the country keep pace with its regional neighbors, such as Thailand and Vietnam, in the fisheries industry.

Improved at a cost of P 885.14 million, the Iloilo Fish Port Complex now boasts a 390-kilowatt peak (kWp) solar photovoltaic system composed of 1,152 370-watt PV solar panel modules. The system powers the market hall, refrigeration building, cold storage facility, commercial building, public toilet, and administration building.

Romualdez praised the integration of renewable energy to ensure reliable operations at the upgraded Iloilo Fish Port Complex, a major hub for fisheries and trade in Western Visayas that hosts licensed fish brokers, overland suppliers, and fishing vessel operators.

“Ito ay mga subok na teknolohiya na dapat nating gamitin sa mga makabagong fish port na itatayo ng ating pamahalaan. Lalong mahalaga ang paggamit ng solar panels kung ang mga fish port ay nasa malalayong lugar at kailangan ng maasahang suplay ng kuryente para panatilihing sariwa at ligtas kainin ang ating mga isda at iba pang klaseng huli,” he said.

(These are proven technologies that we should use in the modern fish ports that our government will build. The use of solar panels is especially important when the fish ports are in remote areas and require a reliable power supply to keep our fish and other types of catch fresh and safe to eat.)

The Speaker committed to reviewing the 2026 proposed budgets of the Department of Agriculture and the PFDA to ensure fishermen receive the financial assistance and infrastructure support they need as vital partners in the country’s food security agenda.

The PFDA has proposed P 2.1 billion in the 2026 NEP for the Fisheries Infrastructure Development Program, which covers the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of fish ports.