The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) has nine regional ports and 138 municipal fish ports across the country. (PFDA/Facebook)
MANILA, Philippines — Another regional fish port will be built in Southern Leyte. This move expected to boost the local fishing industry and commerce.
In a statement, the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) said it signed a memorandum of agreement with the local government unit of Sogod to develop the Sogod Fish Port.
“The fish port will not only serve as an essential center for the local fishing community but also provide a marketplace for the public to purchase a variety of goods, particularly food items and other necessities,” the PFDA said.
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The PFDA did not disclose additional details about the Sogod Fish Port, including project expenditure, timeline, capacity and target completion. Discussions are still underway to finalize the project.
The agency only said that the planned fish complex will support the local government’s initiatives to raise the fishing industry and scale up local commerce.
Sogod Mayor Sheffered Lino Tan said building the regional fish port is aligned with the town’s goal of promoting its fishing industry and improving the livelihood of its residents.
PFDA Acting Manager Glen Pangapalan said he is optimistic about the completion of the Sogod Fish Port. The agency aims to build postharvest facilities in coastal areas.
Southern Leyte’s Sogod Bay
Sogod is situated along the Sogod Bay, which features large, deep and calm waters. This makes it an ideal location for docking various sizes of fishing vessels and accessing municipal and commercial fishing zones.
Moreover, Sogod Bay is part of the Bohol Sea which is known for its rich fishing grounds, including sardines, tuna, and other pelagic species.
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To date, the PFDA has nine regional ports and 138 municipal fish ports across the country. These include Navotas Fish Port Complex, General Santos Fish Port Complex, Davao Fish Port Complex and Zamboanga Fish Port Complex.
These fish ports unloaded 119,063.77 metric tons (MT) of fish in the first quarter of this year. It was a 11.6-percent decrease year-on-year, data from the PFDA showed.
Fish unloading increased steadily during the first three months of 2025. However, previous PFDA reports noted that fish shipments in February and March were lower due to the extended northeast monsoon.