Government Launches Direct Seafood Sales to Lower Market Prices

According to the PIA, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Fisheries Office 1 (BFAR RFO 1), the agency launched the Seafood Kadiwa initiative on March 9 to sell cheaper seafood directly to consumers. The program, held at a regional government covered court, aims to lower food costs and bypass middlemen to help buyers cope with rising fuel prices.

The event took place at the Commission on Audit (COA) Regional Office 1 covered court in San Fernando, La Union. This local market day is part of the national government’s Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, which helps agricultural and fishery producers from across the province sell their goods directly to residents at lower prices.

BFAR RFO 1 Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Atty. Girly G. Dela Peña stated that the program helps local food producers earn more while providing cheaper food options for families. By removing third-party distributors, the initiative stabilizes the prices of basic seafood items in the local market and expands business opportunities for small-scale fishers.

The launch also highlighted the contributions of women in the fishing industry as part of National Women’s Month. Dela Peña emphasized that women play a vital role in managing coastal resources and running small seafood businesses. She added that women vendors and entrepreneurs help build the local economy of La Union by processing and marketing these fishery products.

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SOURCE: PIA