Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat (Aug. 21) – I don’t know whether it was their way of thanking me for working on a holiday or for being the first Agriculture Secretary to meet them Face to Face in the Biyaheng Bukid.
Whatever the reason was, fishermen of Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat surprised me at the end of my half-day visit to the coastal town facing the Moro Gulf with four large Yellowfin Tuna, one of which weighed 78 kilos.
I flew to Kalamansig from Kidapawan City early today by helicopter because the land trip would have taken me about 6 to 7 hours.
The Biyaheng Bukid set for today, a holiday, was supposed to have been staged Aug. 15 but I was called to a meeting with President Rody Duterte, so I had to reschedule it.
During the forum attended by about 500 farmers and fisher folks representing Christian, Muslim and IP groups, concerns and problems, including farm to market roads, irrigation services, machineries and support for farming and fishing were presented.
Farm implements and fiberglass fishing boats were distributed after which an actual demonstration of the use of a twin-engine 30-footer fiberglass fishing boat was made in the bay.
As I was about to leave the wharf where the fiberglass fishing boats were turned over, Sultan Kudarat Governor Pax Mangudadatu, told me that fishermen were giving me a gift of two large Tunas.
On the way out of the wharf, I and Governor Mangudadatu dropped by the fish market and discovered bigger Tunas in large ice boxes sold at P170 per kilo.
Two more Tunas, one of which weight 78 kilos, were added to my load.
Gov. Mangudadatu said as many as 30 large Tunas are landed by fishermen every day just by using hand lines.
The large Tunas they said have returned to the Moro Gulf since the implementation of the strict Closed Fishing Season in the waters off Zamboanga Peninsula which allowed small fish to grow and flourish.
The presence of the small fish has attracted the Tunas and this has given the fishermen in the Moro Gulf bountiful harvests from the seas.
My only problem was how to load the four large Tuna in the small helicopter I was using.
It was Gov. Mangudadatu, Regional Director Mila Casis and BFAR officer Al Piloton who said they would make sure that the four Tuna would be sent to me.
My second problem is how to consume four large Tunas.
But that would be an easier problem to solve.
(Photos by Bong Piñol)
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