MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has issued a warning against consumption of shellfish gathered from 20 coastal areas across the country.

Based on latest laboratory results, shellfish collected from the following coastal waters are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit:

• Malampaya Sound, Taytay in Palawan; 
• Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon; 
• Coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; 
• Tambobo Bay, Siaton in Negros Oriental; 
• Coastal waters of Daram Island, Zumarraga, 
• San Pedro and Cambatutay Bays in Western Samar; 
• Coastal waters of Calubian, Leyte, Carigara Bay, and Cancabato Bay, Tacloban City in Leyte; 
• Coastal waters of Biliran Islands; 
• Coastal waters of Guiuan and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; 
• Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; 
• Balite Bay, Mati City in Davao Oriental; 
• Lianga Bay and Coastal waters of Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur. 

Meanwhile, Ormoc Bay in Leyte is now positive for red tide toxin, the BFAR said.

Thus, the agency warned that all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption. 

However, other seafoods like fish, squids, shrimps, crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.

MANILA, Philippines — One of the interventions that the Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning on carrying out to minimize the cost of transporting hogs to Metro Manila is to provide for the logistics.

Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said they will use the vessels owned by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to transport hogs from Mindanao and Visayas free of charge.

In the past weeks, the price of pork has exceeded P400 per kilogram which the DA suspects is due to the price manipulation of some traders and wholesalers.

“Kaya natin aakuin ang logistic, ang transport para mabawasan ang cost while we are also trying to address the other costs na na-experience ng ating mga hog raisers,” explained DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista. 

The Department will implement the price freeze on February 8 pursuant to the Executive Order 124 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday (February 1).

In the meantime, the DA said they will allow retailers to dispose current stocks which they bought at a higher price.

Based on the price freeze, the ceiling for pork should not exceed P300 per kilogram and P160 per kilogram for chicken.

“So dito papasok iyong grace period natin to give them enough time to adjust and they gave us the reassurance na talagang mag-adjust sila ng presyo at makikipag tulungan sila sa atin,” Evangelista assured. 

Laban Konsyumer Atty. Vic Dimagiba on the other hand believes that their pork holiday campaign will be more effective in decreasing pork prices if vendors will join them. 

“So maganda ito. Dalawang grupo ng sektor ng industriya would like to exercise their market power with one objective. Ang objective lang naman niyan is to ensure na ang mga consumer ay may access sa basic goods at reasonable prices,” he said.

On Monday (February 8), top officials of the DA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) along with some members of Congress are set for a market visit. MNP (with reports from Rey Pelayo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Tuesday (December 15) announced that shellfishes collected from 21 areas were found positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond regulatory limit.

According to BFAR’s shellfish bulletin dated December 14, the agency noted that all types of shellfish and acetes or alamang, gathered from the following areas are not safe for human consumption:

• Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Hermosa, Orani, Abucay, and Samal in the province of Bataan; 
• Honda and Puerto Princesa City in Palawan; 
• Coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate; 
• Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon; 
• Coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; 
• Tambobo Bay, Siaton in Negros Oriental; 
• Coastal waters of Daram Island, Zumarraga, Cambatutay, Irong-irong, Maqueda, and Villareal Bays in Western Samar; 
• Coastal waters of Calubian, Leyte, Cancabato Bay, Tacloban City, and Carigara Bay in Leyte;
• Coastal water of Biliran Islands; 
• Coastal waters of Guiuan in Eastern Samar; 
• Balite Bay, Mati City in Davao Oriental; 
• Lianga Bay and Coastal waters of Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur; 
• Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur.

Meanwhile, the agency said fish, squids, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.

Moreover, Coastal waters of Inner Malampaya Sound, Taytay in Palawan, Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; and San Pedro Bay in Western Samar are now free of the toxic red tides.