The ongoing debate surrounding the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR-6) decision to construct a PHP 30-million feed mill plant at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Tigbauan, Iloilo, underscores critical misunderstandings about the nature and potential of the project. While Senator Cynthia Villar has raised concerns about this initiative, her arguments miss some key aspects that merit clarification. First, SEAFDEC is not a private organization as Senator Villar suggested. It is a regional intergovernmental body established in 1967 to promote sustainable fisheries development in Southeast Asia. Its Aquaculture Department (AQD), located in Tigbauan, Iloilo, is a quasi-public institution backed by international partnerships, including the Philippine government.

The Editorial Board. (2025, January 24). The feed mill plant debate: Senator's arguments miss key points [Editorial]. Daily Guardian, p. 4.