President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday committed to ramping up government support for the fisheries sector, emphasizing the need to go beyond cold storage facilities to preserve the quality of fish catch and improve industry earnings.

Speaking during his visit to the General Santos Fish Port Complex and a dialogue with local fisherfolk, Marcos highlighted the importance of strengthening the entire cold chain infrastructure to ensure the freshness and marketability of seafood products.

“A large cold storage facility has already been built here,” Marcos said, referring to efforts led by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

“Pero kailangan pang dagdagan. Kaya gagawin namin ang lahat para naman masuportahan ‘yung buong—hindi lamang ‘yung cold storage, kundi ‘yung buong cold chain (But we need more. That’s why we will do everything to support not just cold storage but the entire cold chain),” he added.

Marcos explained that maintaining high product quality through a reliable cold chain will lead to better market prices and increased income for local fishers.

“Para ‘yung mga huling isda natin pagdating sa market ay maganda pa rin, ‘yung quality nung isda ay ma-maintain, para mas maganda ang benta (To ensure the fish remains fresh by the time it reaches the market, the quality must be preserved. This will lead to better sales),” he said.

Marcos underscored the vital role of the fisheries industry in national food security, particularly for an archipelagic nation like the Philippines.

“We are composed of 7,000 islands, so the hope is really with the fisheries industries. We need more fish and agricultural ports to reduce transport costs,” he said.

“Ice plants should also be available in drop-off areas of the yield,” he added.

The President expressed confidence in Laurel’s leadership in the Department of Agriculture, citing his deep understanding of the sector as the former Frabelle Fishing Company president.

“We’re here to check on you, and our Agriculture Secretary knows a lot about your industry, given that it is where he started. He understands your needs and potential,” he said.

In response, Laurel revealed plans for a new testing facility aimed at ensuring the freshness of shrimp, further supporting efforts to elevate the quality of aquaculture products in the region.

“The testing facility will ensure that our shrimp is fresh,” Laurel said.