Until recently, the prawn industry was referred to as the "sunrise industry," earning substantial reaps for the country when it gained popularity in the mid-1980s. Realizing the big potential of the industry, the Department of Agriculture (DA) supported the establishment of the Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Iloilo, an autonomous intergovernmental body whose member countries, other than the Philippines, include Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Gov't extends support to 'sunrise industry'. (1990, March 29). BusinessWorld, p. 24.