A Dagupan City councilor has proposed a total ban on the Bulacan-cultured bangus which she referred to as an “alien bangus”, that was allowed entry to the city fish market to compete with local bangus to the detriment of Pangasinan bangus growers.

Councilor Teresa Coquia, chairman on market of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), aired her proposal during the public hearing on a draft ordinance proposed by Councilor Marcelino Fernandez seeking to authorize the accreditation of two or more bangus dealers or consignacion exclusively selling Daguan bangus to distinguish it from “alien” bangus.  

Councilor Coquia (with microphone) argues for a total ban on Bulacan-produced bangus to protect the Dagupan bangus brand. (Punchphoto by Butch Uka) 

Although aware of the free enterprise, Coquia said efforts must be done to protect consumers especially visitors not familiar with the appearance of Dagupan bangus, from misrepresentation and deception because the alien bangus, which is inferior in quality.

She told the committee that the Bulacan bangus is being fed with chicken manure, unlike the Dagupan bangus and others from Western Pangasinan, which are being fed purely with commercial feeds.

Being of poor quality, the Bulacan bangus are being sold at cheaper prices than the Dagupan bangus and those produced in Western Pangasinan, said Coquia. 

The claim, however, was rejected by Danila Cayabyab, president  of the Dagupan Fish Consignaciones Association, who said that she visited some fish ponds in Bulacan and saw fish farmers using feeds on their milkfish, not chicken manure as alleged by Coquia.

Cayabyab added that the Bulacan bangus constitutes only one percent of the entire milkfish being sold on wholesale basis daily and denied allegations that the Bulacan bangus traders are willfully misrepresenting their product as Dagupan bangus.

She said Bulacan bangus has been welcomed in Dagupan because Dagupan bangus could not meet local demand.

In a PUNCH interview with Eduardo Maramba, president of the Fishpond Owners Operators and Fisherfolk of Dagupan City, Inc., belied the claim of Cayabyab that the Bulacan bangus only represents one percent of the bangus being sold in Dagupan and that local bangus cannot meet domestic demand.

Maramba said he finds it illogical for Bulacan bangus fish traders to bring their produce to Dagupan when they are closer to Navotas, the country’s biggest fish market and that there is always enough supply of bangus to meet local demand since coastal towns in Western Pangasinan deliver to Dagupan also.

He suspects that there is more sinister agenda behind the insistence of Bulacan bangus traders to bring their produce to Dagupan.

A report received by The Punch from some Dagupan bangus traders revealed the Bulacan-produced bangus are being mixed with the indigenous bangus and being passed off as Dagupan bangus in order to command better prices for the Bulacan produce.

While Councilor Fernandez admitted he was not aware of the daily volume of Bulacan bangus being brought to Dagupan daily, he confirmed the observation of Coquia that the Bulacan bangus is tasteless and smells like mud compared to the Dagupan or Pangasinan bangus. (Leonardo Micua)

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