Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced he will recommend to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the distribution of frozen mackerel recently confiscated by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the ports of Manila and Subic.
Laboratory tests conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) confirmed the fish are safe for human consumption, having passed screening for histamine and microbiological contaminants.
Tiu Laurel said he would ask the BOC to turn over the seized goods to the Department of Agriculture (DA) for distribution through agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development or the Office of the President.
“When President Marcos led the distribution of frozen fish last December, thousands of vulnerable Filipinos received an unexpected gift. Today, the need is far more urgent. Millions have been displaced by recent floods. This may be a small gesture, but it can offer meaningful relief to many families,” he said Friday.
A total of seven container vans — two from Manila’s North Harbor and five from the Subic Freeport — were seized after the shipments were flagged by the DA’s Inspectorate and Enforcement Office in coordination with the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).
Each container holds roughly 30 metric tons of frozen mackerel, bringing the total to 210 metric tons, enough to provide one kilo of fish to 210,000 households.
Tiu Laurel added that more container vans suspected of containing smuggled fish are awaiting inspection and testing. Most of the seized shipments also contained onions.
While tests showed no bacterial, pesticide, or heavy metal contamination, the BPI recommended destroying the onions due to visible spoilage.
