Marcos Administration Prioritizes Food Security and Public Health

Strategic Insights -

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. recently announced that the Department of Agriculture (DA) will formalize a request to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to release 50 metric tons of frozen mackerel. The fish, valued between PHP13 million and PHP20 million, was held at the Port of Manila after being tested by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and found safe for human consumption. The move follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to balance public health protection with food access, while also curbing smuggling. The DA aims to put the safe food on Filipino tables, similar to a previous effort where the President donated 21 container vans of smuggled frozen mackerel worth PHP178.5 million to the public after they were cleared for consumption.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 50 metric tons of frozen mackerel, seized at the Port of Manila, have been tested by the BFAR and found to meet Philippine and international microbiological safety standards.
  • The fish can feed 50,000 families with a kilo each, as stated by the DA.
  • The seized mackerel, valued between PHP13 million and PHP20 million, are being released to the public after being cleared for consumption.
  • The DA will continue to work closely with the BOC and other enforcement agencies to crack down on agricultural smuggling.
  • The seized goods, which include red and yellow onions, are also being tested for pesticide residue, heavy metals, and bacterial contamination.
  • The DA Inspectorate and Enforcement Service (IES) and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) flagged the shipment, which was among six containers found to have entered the country without sanitary and phytosanitary permits.
  • The Marcos administration has shown a commitment to food security and public health through this and previous efforts, including the led donation of smuggled frozen mackerel worth PHP178.5 million to the public in December.

Statistics:

  • 50 metric tons of frozen mackerel have been seized at the Port of Manila and cleared for consumption.
  • PHP13 million to PHP20 million is the value of the seized mackerel.
  • 50,000 families can be fed with a kilo of the mackerel each.
  • PHP178.5 million is the value of the smuggled frozen mackerel worth worth that was donated to the public by the President in December.

Sources:

  • "Agriculture Secretary to formally request Customs to turn over safe mackerel" (Philippines News agency, 21 Jul 2025)
  • News release by the Department of Agriculture on Monday.