The city government announced that they will push through with their plan to construct an integrated fish port in Jacana, Barangay Bancao-Bancao, while another fish port in the west coast barangay of Buenavista in an effort to boost the local economy and to foster the growth of its fishing industry.
As early as December 2021, the city government already conducted consultations with the local communities of Buenavista and Bancao-Bancao and present to them the details of the project. This is the same year when the city officials initially proposed the integrated fish port as a crucial component of the city’s comprehensive development plan.
The mayor did not mention the exact amount of the project, but hinted that due to its expanse and large area the project may cost P900million or P1billion. The proposed site is in Jacana, Bancao-Bancao within the existing fishport, while a satellite fish port will be in Buenavista.
Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron said that he meet with senior members of the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) and the Frabelle Group of Companies.
The city intends to showcase a comprehensive plan for an all-in-one facility that will simplify and consolidate various operations within the fishing industry, and also serving as a main hub for fishermen, processors, and others involved in the sector.
Puerto Princesa has 56 coastal barangays out of its 66 barangays, while it has also a vast expanse of coastal waters which is 330,000 hectares. Its strategic location made the proposed fish port project feasible. It has major fish inflows from surrounding municipal waters, and that of Sulu Sea and West Philippine Sea.
The registered commercial fishing vessels accounts to 200 while the municipal fishing vessels reached 3,300. The municipal fish catch in Puerto Princesa City alone is five times bigger than the commercial fish catch and is the biggest nationwide.
The city’s fish export on the other hand is 25 to 30 metric tons per day via air cargo, while five metric tons per day via commercial ports. The major fish outflows from Puerto Princesa and Palawan are bound to Manila, Lucena, GenSan, Iloilo, Cebu and Davao. The outflows are either direct from fishing vessels or exported via air and sea freight from Puerto Princesa Official records showed that fish catch within Palawan is 50,251.74 metric tons in a year, while there are 67,350.14 metric tons from Puerto Princesa. The projected combined daily fish production is 200 metric tons.
The fishport is designed for 100 to 160 metric tons daily. The estimated local fish consumption for Puerto Princesa is 26 metric tons per day.
The city government estimate a conservative 30 percent or 4,000 MT increase in Puerto Princesa fish landing on the second year due the new fish port.
The proposed fish port will establish Puerto Princesa City as a fish trading center not only in Palawan and Mimaropa but for the entire Luzon. It will also provide for level playing field for all players of the fishing industry since it will serve as one-stop-shop for fish producers. The value of fish produced could also be maximized.
The fish port will also complement the city’s tourism industry.
This will also pave way for the creation of fish producers’ cooperative in the locality, increasing fish production not only from coastal waters, but in aquaculture projects which is part of the city’s food security program.