Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
Borongan City–Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales has filed two priority measures in the House of Representatives seeking the construction of modern fishports with ice plants and cold storage facilities in the coastal towns of Dolores and Oras in his home province.
Gonzales said the proposed facilities will help fisherfolk reduce post-harvest losses, preserve the quality of their catch, and improve access to wider markets.
The measures are co-authored by House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino โNonoyโ Libanan.
โThese fishport projects are long overdue investments in our seaside communities. Our fisherfolk deserve the same level of infrastructure support that we provide to farmers. We owe it to them to ensure their hard work does not go to waste,โ Gonzales said.
He added: โCoastal towns like Dolores and Oras have immense potential. Whatโs lacking is the support infrastructure to unlock that potential. Our bills are designed to provide exactly that.โ
Under House Bill No. 123 or the Dolores Fish Port Act, the government shall establish a fully equipped fishport in Barangay Japitan, Dolores.
Meanwhile, House Bill No. 124, or the Oras Fish Port Act, seeks to build a similar facility in Barangay Tawagan, Oras.
Both proposed ports will feature an ice plant and cold storage facility to preserve the freshness of fish and extend shelf life, enabling fisherfolk to command better prices in the market.
โThese facilities will transform the way our fishing communities do business. By eliminating spoilage and enabling value-added processing, we are giving our fisherfolk a real shot at sustainable growth,โ Gonzales stressed.
Beyond supporting the local fishing economy, Gonzales emphasized that the proposed fishports will generate jobs, attract allied industries, and strengthen national food security.
The facilities will serve as centralized hubs for the storage, processing, and distribution of marine productsโensuring fairer prices for producers and a more stable fish supply for consumers.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), will construct and operate the fishports, before eventually turning over their management to the concerned local government units.
