Senator Cynthia A. Villar scored anew the plan of Agriculture Secretary William Dar to import 38,695 metric tons (MT) of small pelagic fish like galunggong (round scad), sardines, and mackerel to be sold locally.

"Again, Department of Agriculture’s Secretary William Dar has once again approved the importation of 38,695 metric tons (MT) of frozen fish and aquatic products for wet markets in a bid to stabilize supply and market prices," she said.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate agriculture and food committee, said Dar's administrative order on the fish importation is effective immediately after its issuance last May 23.

According to reports, Villar said this issuance is again without consultation from the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) as required under Republic Act No. 8850.

The 38,695 metric tons comprise the remaining volume from the previously approved 60,000 MT which did not arrive according to schedule, she pointed out.

Villar pointed out that the DA's fish importation in the first quarter of 2022 did not achieve the taming of fish prices in the market.

"As food inflation rose to 2.8 percent in March 2022, from 1.1 percent in February 2022, fish inflation was also noted at 4.3 percent during the same period against 2.9 percent in February 2022," she lamented.

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) said that on the average, every Filipino consumes about 98.6 grams of fish and fish products daily.

"The consistent importation results to compromising both the livelihood of the fisherfolks and promoting falsehood or fabrication of facts to justify vested interest," Villar stressed.

Since time immemorial, she said fishing has been an important source of livelihood for Filipinos, fish being the country’s second staple food next to rice.

"Due to this, the fishing industry should be protected because it provides employment to about one million Filipinos, or around three percent of the country’s labor force. Being labor intensive, municipal fishing generated 68 percent of the total employment, followed by aquaculture with 26 percent, and commercial fishing at 6 percent," she said.

She cited the PSA Labor Survey from March 2021 to March 2022 showing that there are only three of the sub-sectors reported a decline in employment. They are Construction (-754 thousand), Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor and motorcycles (-239 thousand); and Fishing and aquaculture (-114 thousand).

"In February this year, the Senate conducted a hearing based Senate Resolution No. 91 to determine if there is basis for the recommended importation of the 60,000 MT of fish for the first quarter of 2022 by the DA," she stressed.

”This is amid the pronouncement of the NFARMC that the country has enough fish supply, and threats

to the local fisheries sector,compromising the livelihood of local fisherfolks," she added.

As provided for in the Fisheries Code of 1998, she said DA must first consult with the said multi-sectoral council, which is DA’s highest advisory body before importing fish.

However, she said the Certificate of the Necessity to Import continued despite the objection of the Senate and the NFARMC.