INQUIRER FILES
TACLOBAN CITY 鈥� The coastal town of Daram, Samar has been identified as the country鈥檚 model for the reduction of post-harvest losses, with a P249.8 million investment meant to enhance economic opportunities for coastal communities.
Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos said the town has been selected by their campaign as a model for sustainable fishing with the strong support of the local government and the drafting of comprehensive plans.
鈥淒aram has the longest coastline and largest municipal waters in the Samar Sea and is heavily reliant on fishing,鈥� Ramos said in an interview Tuesday.
鈥淗owever, its fisherfolk face significant challenges, including the lack of proper storage facilities, market instability, and the impacts of climate change on fish supply and livelihood sustainability.鈥�
Oceana鈥檚 2024 study in Samar revealed that up to 40 percent of fish catch is lost due to spoilage, damage, and lack of processing facilities.
The study noted that the fish trading system in Daram contributes significantly to these losses, as many catches are sold at sea, leading to unrecorded landings and price instability.
鈥淚t鈥檚 alarming that almost half of the fish catch is lost before they are landed or rots before they are sold,鈥� Ramos聽said.
鈥淲hen we address this, imagine how much of a positive difference this will make for coastal communities and the lives of poor families,鈥� she added.
Oceana Philippines campaign and research director Rhea Yray-Frossard said the local government and fisherfolk came up with a five-year plan with the assistance of Oceana and experts from national government agencies.
The plan鈥檚 goal is to reduce post-harvest losses from 40 percent to 10 percent.
The P249.8 million budget requirement phased across three main and six auxiliary villages with 10 associations, focuses on infrastructure and access road development, equipment acquisition, skills training, and values formation.
The budget will come from various government agencies willing to assist local governments with plans ready for implementation.
鈥淭he local plan in Daram supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.鈥檚 Philippine Development Plan to manage harvest waste,鈥� Frossard told reporters.
鈥淭he project aims to prevent loss of essential fish nutrients and wastage of fish catch during peak seasons by establishing facilities that support proper handling, processing, and storage,鈥� she noted.
The campaign will benefit some 9,293 residents in 10 coastal villages of Daram town.
In a statement, Vice Mayor Lucia Astorga acknowledged that while Daram has vast marine resources, the absence of cold storage, drying facilities, and organized market access often leads to fish wastage.
The official noted that the seasonality of sardines causes drastic price fluctuations, resulting in fisherfolk discarding excess fish during peak seasons due to a lack of buyers.
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization focused solely on ocean conservation.