Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Director Emmanuel Asis urged local government units in Palawan to assign personnel to issue auxiliary invoices to fishery products coming from their locality, such as live reef fish for transport and other products.
The director made the appeal during the live fish trader dialogue held yesterday, May 16, 2024 at BFAR’s office in Barangay Sta. Monica.
Auxiliary invoices are required documents for the transport of these fisheries products for shipment to Manila and to other destinations in the country. This auxiliary invoices will also be required by those employees, authorities and law enforcers that manned the different checkpoints located in the different towns.
Trading live reef fish locally known as suno, loba, or lapulapu is one of the lucrative industries in Palawan, being an island province consisting of a thousand other islands and islets. Live reef fish traders in Palawan earn P2,500 for every kilo of suno. In a year, they can potentially earn P 3-4 million.
For three months, since March 1 until May 31, a closed fishing season for three species of live reef fish is imposed in Puerto Princesa City, with exceptions to 23 municipalities in Palawan where the closed fishing season for live reef fish is suspended.
The BFAR regional director said that he was informed that some municipalities in Palawan have no personnel assigned to issue auxiliary invoices. Asis explained that if a contractual worker in Municipal LGU is paid at 355 daily, the issuance of auxiliary invoices will generate funds that is enough to provide wages even to more than one or two workers.
“Bakit kayo nanghihinayang mag assign ng tao?. Malaki ang kikitain nyan. Malaki ang ipapasok nyan na pera sa inyong bayan,” the fisheries regional director asked.
Asis further said that the auxiliary invoices also reflects volume of fishery products from the locality, therefore it will help the municipality to monitor local fish catch. However, without personnel assigned to issue invoices is a missed opportunity for these municipalities to see the trend of their local fisheries.
“Hindi nyo na-mo-monitor kasi wala kayong data. Kasi kung may auxiliary invoice that is a tool na makikita po ninyo ang trend. Kung ang isda ba mula sa inyo ay pakonti ng pakonti. Sana ay ma-strengthen ang issuance ng auxiliary invoice,” he said.
BFAR provincial officer for Palawan south, Mario Basaya appealed to live reef fish traders to bring all the required documents during their transport. He admitted that there are instances when traders are stranded in checkpoints, due to the absence of documents during travel.
“Ang mga documentary requirements ay dapat intact. Mayor’s Permit, Auxiliary Invoice, Local Transport Permit. Pakiusap naman sa mga traders. Pag-alis mo sa point of origin ay bitbitin mo na ang lahat ng dokumento,” BFAR provincial officer Mario Basaya advised traders.