Big fishing operators here have expressed doubts a planned nationwide strike by small fishermen will bring down the cost of fuel.
Dexter Teng, president of the South Cotabato Purse Seiners Association, instead urged the government to extend soft loans or subsidies to small fishermen who are among the hardest hit by continuing increases in the prices of petroleum products.
“The government could extend rebates or provide incentives to those who will convert their diesel or gasoline engines into LPG-fueled engines,†Teng said.
He made the suggestion after the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), a nationwide coalition of militant fisherfolks, appealed to commercial fishing vessel operators to join a nationwide strike early next month.
But Teng also admitted that purse seine operators are also bearing the brunt of rising fuel costs.
“About 60 to 65 percent of our operating costs go to fuel consumption. So any relief will be most welcome,†Teng said.
Teng, whose family owns TSP Fishing, said they will support the proposal of House Speaker Prospero Nograles for a cap in the value-added tax (VAT) being imposed by the government on the price of fuel products.
“That would be a good start,†he said.
Tuna handline operators in the city have already started to convert their gasoline and diesel engines to LPG-fueled engines.
Roger Lim, vice president of the Alliance of Tuna Handliners who also owns several fleets of handline tuna fishing boats, said the move will cut down fuel costs as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is almost half the cost cheaper than diesel and gasoline.
According to industry sources, the volume of catch landed at the General Santos City Fishing Port Complex has dramatically declined since prices of petroleum products in local pump stations here, particularly diesel, went up from P37 per liter last year to P57.11 per liter as of Monday.
General Santos City Fishing Port Authority manager Mike Lamberte said volume of catch landed at the fish port complex went down from 256 metric tons over the same period last to just 96 metric tons this year, a drop of 26 percent.