Mayor Belen vows to stop Bulacan bangus from entering Dagupan
MAYOR Belen Fernandez wants the Bulacan bangus to stop entering the markets in the city to protect the indigenous Dagupan bangus!
She revealed her plan during the committee hearing on the 2023 annual city budget by the finance, budget and appropriations committee composed of the seven majority councilors of Dagupan last March 21.
The Bulacan bangus started to enter the markets of Dagupan during the past city administration by virtue of an ordinance but Fernandez said that in order to finally stop the entry of bangus from other places into the city, production of Dagupan bangus must step up.
She said she already talked with local fishpond and fish cage owners who agreed to produce more bangus for local consumption and export.
According to the mayor, she asked the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to help local bangus producers to produce more quality bangus that could meet the demand of domestic and export markets.
Fernandez added that the city government should co-manage the Fish Processing Plant put up by the Korean government in Bonuan Binloc so that it can process bangus needed by both the local and foreign markets.
She said this was already offered by BFAR to then Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. before but he rejected it as Dagupan was not still prepared to handle the facility at the time.
Fernandez informed the committee on finance, budget and appropriations that an Assistant Secretary of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) recently came to Dagupan and encouraged her to further develop the local bangus industry so that the demand of the export market for processed bangus can be met.
The mayor was told that there is market abroad for processed Dagupan bangus, especially the value-added products.
On the NEDA official’s advice, Fernandez will invite all bangus producers in other coastal towns in Pangasinan to process their bangus at the Dagupan Fish Processing Plant to ensure that their products for export meet world standard.
Fernandez said the city will continue the yearly Bangus Festival because this is one way of promoting Dagupan’s bangus industry to the world. (Leonardo Micua)
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