Senators chided officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for justifying the importation of 60,000 metric tons of fish to the detriment of the livelihood of fishermen in the country. Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, reminded DA and BFAR officials of her recommendations that instead of importation, they should just have suspended the closed season or “the period during which the taking of specified fishery species by a specified fishing gear is prohibited in a specified area or areas in the Philippine waters.”

Felipe, C. S. (2022, February 11). Senators hit agri execs over 'determental' fish imports. The Philippine Star, p. 4.