GENERAL SANTOS CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Friday inspected the ongoing rehabilitation of the General Santos City Fish Port Complex, underlining the administration’s commitment to modernizing the fisheries sector and improving the livelihoods of coastal communities.
The facility upgrade—led by the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture—marks a return to the agency’s original mandate. Established nearly five decades ago during the presidency of the late Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. , the PFDA was created to develop fish ports, markets, and other infrastructure vital to building a strong and resilient fishing industry.
The General Santos Fish Port Complex, long known as the country’s tuna capital, is home to six of the seven tuna canneries and provides jobs to more than 200,000 people. As one of the nation’s busiest ports, it anchors 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. ### (Photos by Jay Morales, DA-AFID)
