The much awaited launching of the Bohol Fish Market and TienDA Fair & Exhibits at the Bohol Agricultural Promotions Center in Dao, Tagbilaran City will be launched on Thursday with Agriculture Secretary Manny F. Pinol as guest of honor
The arrival of the DA secretary comes with his promise to “flood Bohol with fish.”
Some five tons of assorted fish from Zamboanga City will be unloaded in Bohol from a commercial vessel from Cagayan de Oro City port tomorrow dawn in time for the launching of the Bohol Fish Market.
Varied reactions from the public surfaced during a radio survey conducted by DYRD’s Inyong Alagad program regarding the much talked about “flooding Bohol with fish” as promised by the DA secretary a month ago.
Well-meaning citizens said if this supply from Mindanao can not be sustained, the event is perceived by many as a government “propaganda” campaign to appear as if solving the problem on high prices of fish in the province.
A market matching activity will be held tomorrow afternoon as part of the TienDA Fair where sellers and buyers of fish will sit down to discuss how to sustain the supply of fish here.
Presently, Bohol is known as as one of the provinces where fish prices are so high as compared to other places in the country.
Leo Bongalos, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Bohol Provincial Officer said that aside from the fish of regions 9, 8, 6, 12 and other provinces in region 7, the “Badlon” fish from Guindulman, Tilapia from Clarin and the Pompano fish from Bentig, Calape, Bohol will also be sold at the TienDA.
The DA-RFO7 had already identified the group of fisherfolks who will handle and manage the operations.
Bongalos said that it was also agreed during the meeting that each region will bring their own reefer van to ferry the unsold fish on the first day to the cold storage at the OPA, Capitol Annex Building, Dao, Tagbilaran City and to be sold in the following day.
During tomorrow’s opening ceremony, Piñol will deliver his keynote speech. He will be introduced by Regional Executive Director, DA-Regional Field Office (RFO)7 Salvador D. Diputado.
Cabinet Secretary Leoncio B. Evasco, Jr. will give his inspirational message while Gov. Edgar M. Chatto and Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell L. Yap II will deliver their messages after Director Nilo S. Katada, Officer In Charge (OIC) – Director BFAR 7 introduces the participants.
Sec. Piñol will launch the Financial Literacy and Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan: Rural Farmers Training Program.
He will lead in the ribbon cutting to be assisted by Gov. Chatto; Vice Governor Dionisio D. Balite; City Mayor Yap; Sec. Evasco; Commodore Eduardo B. Gongona, Undersecretary (Usec.) for Fisheries and BFAR Director; Usec. Jose Gabriel M. La Viña – High-Value Crops and Rural Credit; Dr. Andrew B. Villacorta, CESO III – Asst. Sec. for Agribusiness and Field Operations;
Engr. Christopher V. Morales – Director, Agribusiness, and Marketing Assistance Service; Dir. Diputado; Dir. Katada; Dir. Carolyn May O. Daquio – Center Director, Agricultural Training Institute (ATI)7; Cristie Angeles, AVP-SM Foundation, Inc.; Arsenio G. Barcelona, president – Harbest Agribusiness Corporation; all regional directors from other regions (present), and all members of the RMC 7.
Tomorrow will be seminars and lectures on Urban Gardening /Vegetable Production; Cacao Production, Processing and Marketing; Introduction to Food Safety and Handling; Market Matching Activity; Fish Cage Farming; Tilapia Raising; Hog Raising; Native Chicken Production; Briefing Orientation on Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) and Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) Credit Program.
It may be recalled that in his keynote speech during the opening program of the SandugoAgri-Fair 2018 held at the Island City Mall Activity Center last July 17, 2018, Sec. Piñol asked the Boholanos to give him 30 to 45 days for him to “flood” Bohol with fish from Mindanao. (with reports from AtoyCosap)