THE Cebu Provincial Government has created a task force to monitor fish prices, supply and market conditions amid possible price increases and disruptions affecting consumers and fisherfolk.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order (EO) 50 on Sept. 14, creating the Bantay Presyo Isda Program and Cebu Task Force Magwayen (a sea goddess).
The task force will monitor fish prices and supply from landing areas and production centers to wholesale and retail markets and identify factors that may cause unusual price movements.
EO 50 said the Province aims to ensure an “adequate, stable, safe, accessible, and reasonably priced supply of fish and fishery products” while protecting the livelihood of fisherfolk and other stakeholders in the fisheries value chain.
Monitoring prices, supply
Fish prices may fluctuate because of supply and demand, seasonality, weather disturbances, transportation costs, fishing conditions, post-harvest losses, market concentration and other factors, the order said.
Under the EO, the task force will monitor prices at selected landing centers, fish ports, public markets, wholesale markets and retail outlets. It will also track fish supply and availability.
The program will initially cover major fish and fishery commodities traded in Cebu, including premium fish species, major commodity fish species and other priority commodities identified by the task force.
Price alerts, complaints
The task force will establish a Cebu Fish Price Monitoring System and adopt a price-alert system to validate reports of unusual or significant price increases and refer possible violations to the appropriate government agency.
Consumers, fisherfolk, vendors, traders and other stakeholders may report unusual price increases, deceptive pricing, misrepresentation of fish species or size, suspected illegal fish trading, fish quality and safety concerns and supply disruptions.
The task force may recommend interventions such as market linkage, direct selling, supply augmentation, alternative fish sources, improved cold-chain facilities and measures to reduce post-harvest losses, the EO said.
Weekly price bulletin
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist will serve as the task force secretariat and maintain a database of fish prices, supply conditions, market observations, complaints and actions taken.
It will also prepare a weekly fish price bulletin covering prevailing prices, price ranges, supply conditions, monitored commodities and markets, significant price movements and market outlook.
The task force will coordinate with national government agencies, the Provincial Government, component cities and municipalities, market authorities, law enforcement agencies and fisherfolk organizations.
Baricuatro will chair Task Force Magwayen, with Provincial Agriculturist Roldan Saragena as vice chairperson.
Composition
Members include provincial government officials and representatives from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Trade and Industry Cebu, Philippine Coast Guard Cebu, Cebu Port Authority, League of Municipalities of the Philippines Cebu Chapter, Association of Municipal/City Agriculturists of the Philippines Cebu Chapter and two recognized fisherfolk organizations.
The task force will meet quarterly for regular assessment and planning, monthly during significant fish price or supply concerns, and as needed during emergencies.
The EO provides for coordination during supply disruptions caused by calamities, closed fishing seasons, prolonged bad weather, fish kills, disease outbreaks and other emergencies.
A technical working group will develop monitoring protocols, data-collection forms, price-alert thresholds, reporting templates, market-monitoring schedules and intervention procedures. / CDF