House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Sunday vowed the full support of the legislative branch for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s vital initiative to modernize and expand the Philippines’ cold chain system. This critical infrastructure upgrade is aimed at significantly improving the livelihood of fisherfolk nationwide and bolstering the country’s food security.
Speaker Romualdez’s commitment follows President Marcos’ recent inspection of the General Santos Fish Port Complex (GSFPC), a crucial hub for the nation’s tuna industry and a key economic driver in Mindanao. The President’s visit underscored the administration’s focused efforts on upgrading critical infrastructure to support the burgeoning fisheries sector.
According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the GSFPC has already seen substantial improvements with the recent implementation of two major infrastructure projects: the expansion and improvement of GSFPC Package II and the construction of new cold storage facilities. These initiatives are designed to bolster the port’s capacity and efficiency, solidifying its role as a central fisheries logistics hub.
Rep. Romualdez emphasized the urgent need for legislative action to establish more modern fish ports and cold storage facilities across the country. Speaker Romualdez emphasized that the increase in the number of fish ports and cold storage facilities will greatly help in lowering the transportation and production costs of our fisherfolk. They can count on Congress’s support to build more advanced and modern facilities.
The Speaker further expressed his expectation for Congressional colleagues to rigorously scrutinize the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026, once submitted by the Executive branch. He affirmed the commitment to ensure that next year’s national budget includes ample allocations to fund the necessary infrastructure upgrades for the fisheries industry. Romualdez underscored the program’s importance for national food security. He also vowed that Congress will prioritize the program of President Marcos. “This is one of the government’s needs to achieve food security for every Filipino,” he added.
During his General Santos City visit on Friday, President Marcos himself reiterated the importance of constructing more modern fish ports and cold storage facilities to upgrade the country’s fisheries infrastructure and maintain the quality and safety of fish and other seafood. He inspected the fish port and observed tuna trading activities, including the unloading, weighing, and grading of fresh tuna destined for export, assuring fishermen of the government’s unwavering support to improve the cold chain system and reduce their operational costs.
The joint commitment from the Executive and Legislative branches signals a strong, unified push towards a more robust and efficient fisheries sector, aiming to empower Filipino fisherfolk and secure the nation’s food supply for years to come.
