Meanwhile, in General Santos City

GENERAL Santos City, the acknowledged Tuna Capital of the Philippines, is rising to the serious challenge brought about by COVID-19. More than ever, measures are enhanced by the Tuna Canners Association of General Santos (TCAGS) – an association of businesses primarily engaged in providing canned food locally and globally, to assure the consuming public that member-associations are doing everything right to help the local government unit of General Santos City and the national government, realize their collective efforts to contain and arrest the spread of COVID-19 and thus, safeguard the lives of the city’s 594,446 residents (based on 2015 census) and the public.

According to TCAGS, the following measures are implemented in their respective plants:

1) “No mask-No entry” for all our personnel and all persons transacting with the plants;

2) Thermal scanning at entrances;

3) Hand spraying of alcohol/sanitizer at entrances with provision of the same disinfectants in all offices;

4) Social or Physical Distancing at all times;

5) All workers should change to working clothes before entering the workplace;

6) Visual aids are posted at strategic locations for workers to observe;

7) Break times are staggered to strictly observe Social Distancing;

8) Daily cleaning and sanitizing of assigned work areas; and

9) Weekly sanitizing of plant premises.

TCAGS consists of Alliance Tuna International, Inc.; Celebes Canning Corp.; General Tuna Corp.; Ocean Canning Corp.; Philbest Canning Corp.; and Seatrade Canning Corp.

Meanwhile, in a text message, fishing industry pillar and SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. past President Marfenio ‘Marfin’ Tan said, “The fishing industry is badly affected by COVID-19. We cannot market our produce for local consumption and export requirements due to non-availability of flights. Even the city’s shrimp production is also affected because there is no Manila market.”

“Moreover, the piggery sector is also distressed because of African Swine Fever (ASF) although General Santos is ASF-free. Lockdown likewise disrupted the flow of goods”, Tan added. 

Turning now to the shrimp farm industry in neighboring Sarangani. The province is host to almost 400 hectares of shrimp ponds. According to Marjun Villanueva, Asst. Vice President, Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines Corp. and past President of SARGEN Shrimp Stakeholders Association, Inc., “Most farmers stock their ponds in preparation for the ‘summer crop’. However, COVID-19 presents a big challenge to the industry since almost 90% of our shrimp harvest are shipped to Manila which is our main market”.

Like Tan, Villanueva said the airport lockdown and flight cancellations pose a huge problem since on a daily basis, this season, the harvest is around 10-15 tons. He added that farm-gate buying price now drops to P150 for 10-gm size, a huge drop from the P240 farm-gate price before the occurrence of this health threat.

“Lately however, with the help of government and after negotiations with local airlines, Cebu Pacific cargo planes now fly General Santos to Manila but with limited cargo capacity because cargo space is also shared with Tuna products and Milkfish fry. Moreover, since it’s a chartered flight, the freight cost is very high”, Villanueva further explained.

“Farmers now are hesitant to stock their ponds for the next crop and adopt a wait-and-see attitude while hoping that things will return to normal soon”, concluded Villanueva.

On the part of the General Santos Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), the 19th SP has actively passed and approved pertinent legislative measures to support the action and direction of the local chief executive against COVID-19. According to Vice Mayor Loreto ‘Ton’ Acharon, “As early as Feb. 4, 2020, the SP has passed a resolution declaring a State of Calamity that authorizes the chief executive to use the calamity fund”. “Thus far, the SP has passed and approved 7 COVID-19-related Ordinances, including 3 Appropriation Ordinances for the purchase of welfare goods, and 14 Resolutions”, Acharon added.

“Although the SP Regular Session has been suspended since March 24th due to the Executive Order on Enhanced Community Quarantine, the SP continues to do its function through special sessions to address COVID-19 matters”, Acharon further explained.

As of this writing, the SP is on its 3rd Special Session where deliberations and approval of the additional P130-million supplemental budget of the city have been carried. Acharon said that for a measure of transparency, the SP calls for the inclusion of utilization report. “In the midst of this crisis, rest assured that your local legislative council is one with our people”, the Vice Mayor concluded.

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Food for Thought

Calamity is the test of integrity. – Samuel Richardson

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