ILOILO City – Despite the increase in the prices of rice, petroleum products and basic commodities, there has been no changes in the prices of fish in Western Visayas, including at the Iloilo Terminal Market and Iloilo Central Market in this city.
Remia Aparri, director of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 6, said she recently went to a wet market in the city to buy fish.
“So far diri sa Region 6 wala, amo man gihapon ang presyohanay,” Aparri told Panay News.
Bangus or milkfish costs around P120 to P200 per kilogram, she also said.
The BFAR regularly monitors the prices of fishery commodities. As of their Aug. 7 monitoring, the prices per kilogram at the Iloilo Central Market were as follows:
* Kasag large (one to six pieces) – P450
* Alimango – P600
* Gulaman – P80
* Tahong – P90
* Bagungon – P60
* Shrimp small – P260
* Shrimp medium – P300 to P320
* Kulambutan – P340
* Lukos – P250 to P350
* Tuway – P80
* Bangus small (five pieces and above) – P180
* Bangus medium (three to four pieces) – P200
* Bangus large (one to two pieces) – P220
* Tilapia – P180
* Galunggong – P200 to P280
* Bisugo – P250 to P350
* Tuloy – P120 to P160
* Bulaw – P280
* Bukaw – P350
* Lapu-lapu – P350
* Mat-an – 220
* Sapsap – P300
* Dalinuan – P200
In contrast, here are the prices as of Aug. 2:
* Kasag (seven pieces and above) – P300
* Gulaman – P80
* Bagungon – P60
* Shrimp small – P300
* Shrimp medium – P350
* Lukos – P280-300
* Alimango – P500 to P600
* Litob – P70
* Tuway – P80
* Bangus small (five pieces and above) – P180
* Bangus medium (three to four pieces) – P200
* Bangus large (one to two pieces) – P220-240
* Tilapia – P180
* Galunggong – P200
* Lison – P400
* Maya-maya – P400
* Tuloy – P100
* Bisugo – P300 to P380
* Lapu-lapu – P350
According to Aparri, most fishery commodities sold in the region’s markets are sourced from the region’s waters such as in Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, and Roxas City.
Some also come from the Visayan Sea.
The rich Visayan Sea is shared by 33 cities and municipalities in the provinces of Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Cebu, and Masbate.
Aquaculture, which involves fish culture activities in inland and marine waters, also augments the region’s supply.
“Ang fish sufficiency naton diri sa Western Visayas is 125 percent,” Aparri said.
BFAR-6 data also showed that due to the abundance of fish in the region, other fishermen or traders sell their products in Cebu, the Ilocos Region, and the National Capital Region.
Fish harvests in the region come from commercial and municipal fisheries and aquaculture, said Aparri.
Commercial fisheries refer to capture fishing operations using fishery vessels of over three gross tons outside municipal waters (beyond 15 kilometers from the shoreline).
Municipal fisheries, on the other hand, refer to capture fishing operations using fishery vessels of three gross tons or less, including other forms of fishing not involving the use of watercraft.
The region’s most abundant fish species are milkfish, sardines, mackerel, herring, and tuna, said Aparri.
As far as the BFAR-6 director can recall, Region 6 has never requested supply augmentation from other regions.
“Damo kita supply. In aquaculture there’s bangus. Sa dagat madamo kita tabagak, tuna kag iban pa nga mga isda,” she added.
Data from the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA) showed the following fish production in the region (from 2020 to 2022):
Commercial Fisheries
* 2020 – 65,860.03 metric tons
* 2021 – 59,966.53 metric tons
* 2022 – 73,506.03 metric tons
Municipal Fisheries
* 2020 – 99,937.17 metric tons
* 2021 – 107,880.31 metric tons
* 2022 – 113,121.1 metric tons
Aquaculture
* 2020 – 210,553.34 metric tons
* 2021 – 209,130.78 metric tons
* 2022 – 48,219.32 metric tons
Panay News, meanwhile, went around Iloilo Terminal Market and Iloilo Central Market yesterday morning where several fish vendors said the prices fluctuate.
Jonel Borromeo, a fish vendor in Iloilo Terminal Market for eight years, said this is the norm.
“Amo man gihapon, may bes nga naganubo, may bes man nga nagasaka,” he said.
He sells milkfish, tilapia, and salmon, which he sources at the Iloilo Fish Fort Complex.
“Bastante ang supply; nagasobra lang gani,” he added.
Jhonny Sarmiento, a fish vendor at the Iloilo Central Market, agreed: “Daw pareho lang man gihapon ah.”
Junnie Billena, also from Iloilo Terminal Market, said the fluctuation of prices depends on the kind of fish.
Joecel Delos Reyes from Iloilo Central Market shared the same: “Kon mahal ang isda, mahal man baligya namon para makabawi man kami sa capital kag makaginansya sang gamay.”
Meanwhile, Joy Beza, a vendor at the Iloilo Terminal Market, said: “May markup nga P20 per kilogram, umpisa sang middle of August sang nag-start ang pagsaka sang bugas.”
Beza gets her supply at the Iloilo Fish Fort Complex and from Northern Iloilo./PN
