While production of “bangus” (milkfish) and tilapia remains at its peak this month, the Luzon-wide lockdown imposed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has meant a sales slump to growers due to transport restrictions and declining orders from dealers. Some producers who have managed to bring the fishes to the nearest markets are met only by few buyers because of limited movement caused by checkpoints, according to Nestor Domenden, assistant director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the Ilocos region. Alex Soriano, vice president of Feedmix Specialist, which maintains fish cages in Sual town, said shipments to the markets in Dagupan City and Navotas City in Metro Manila had been cut by 50 percent.

Sotelo, Y. (2020, March 28). Checkpoint woes, low demand cut ‘bangus’ sales in Pangasinan. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A9.