President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday recognized the contribution of General Santos City to the country’s fishery exports and the national economy and renewed his commitment to modernizing the fisheries sector and improving the livelihoods of coastal communities.

President Marcos inspected the ongoing rehabilitation of the General Santos City Fish Port Complex being spearheaded by the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“Malaking kontribusyon ng GenSan at lahat ng fisheries industry sa pagpapakain sa buong Pilipinas. Kaya’t ipatuloy ninyo,” the President said during the town hall meeting with fisherfolk and other stakeholders at the port.

“Maraming maraming salamat sa inyong ginagawa. Hindi lamang sa food supply kung hindi pati sa pag-export natin. Ang laki rin ng kontribusyon sa ating ekonomiya itong inyong industriya kaya’t kailangan ang pamahalaan ay nandiyan.”

The President expressed elation knowing that the Philippines’ tuna exports reach the American market.

The General Santos Fish Port Complex, long known as the country’s tuna capital, is home to six of the country’s seven tuna canneries and provides jobs to more than 200,000 people.

As one of the nation’s busiest ports, it is a central income-generating facility for the regional economy.

The ongoing expansion includes upgraded cold storage and port facilities aimed at increasing capacity and enabling the efficient handling of other agricultural products.

Established nearly five decades ago during the presidency of the late Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., the PFDA was tasked to develop fish ports, markets, and other infrastructure vital to building a strong and resilient fishing industry. | PND