The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) and officials of the Negros Occidental provincial government are urging immediate reforms in fisheries management and environmental monitoring following the closure of the United States market to Philippine blue swimming crab exports, warning of serious economic consequences for thousands of coastal families and workers. The MBCCI and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Negros Occidental have separately called on national government agencies to address regulatory gaps that led to the ban while strengthening long-term sustainability measures for one of the country’s most valuable fisheries industries. The United States officially barred imports of Philippine blue swimming crab products effective June 11 after the country failed to secure a “comparability finding” under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

Singuay, M. (2026, June 15). Negros biz group, prov’l gov’t push reforms after U.S. blocks Philippine blue crab exports. Panay News, pp. 5, 15.