Bangus prices rise back to normal levels — report

More than a week after Typhoon Glenda raked through Luzon, prices of bangus (milkfish) started showing signs of normalizing in some markets in Metro Manila after it went down, a television report said on Thursday.

 

According to Vonne Aquino's report on GMA News' "Unang Balita," bangus was fetching P80 to P105 per kilo as of Thursday morning at the Commonwealth Public Market in Quezon City, after going down to P25 to P30 per kilo in the past few days.

The typhoon destroyed fishpens in Laguna de Bay, allowing the fish to escape. They were then caught by consumers in Metro Manila, causing prices to fall. 

 

However, prices of tilapia remain unchanged at the Balintawak public market at P55 to P90 per kilo, the report added. The report cited fish vendors at the Balintawak public market as saying they will maintain the low prices of tilapia as demand remains low.

 

In a separate interview on Unang Balita, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) director Asis Perez explained the drop in bangus and tilapia prices in the past few days was due to the destruction of most fishpens in the Calabarzon region when Typhoon Glenda raked through Luzon.

 

"Kaya ang nangyari, nakawala sa dagat at mga lawa ang mga isda... Kaya naging public property. Siyempre, libre 'yon kaya bumaba ang presyo," he explained.

 

The lack of supply of fish may be expected in the next few months "kasi kinuha mo na ang mga isda... tapos nabubulok kaya hindi rin napakanibangan."

 

"'Yung dapat kukunin mo in the next three months, kinuha mo na ngayon. Ano na mangyayari in the next months... wala ka nang supply," Perez said. – Amanda Fernandez/VS, GMA News