Losses from Batangas fish kill now at P136M

The losses to fish pen operators from the fish kill that hit the Batangas area has zoomed to P136 million, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said Saturday. BFAR Region IV-A OIC director Esmeralda Manalang said the losses may affect workers maitaining some 234 fish cages owned by 23 operators in the area. "Mga P136 million na ang total losses, ang cost of damages. [Ang apektadong isda] mahigit 1,800 metric tons na," Manalang said in an interview on dzBB radio. She said the losses may stop going up once the weather stabilizes and the water condition improves, such that it will support aquatic life again. Last Thursday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the fish kill incidents in Pangasinan and Batangas provinces had caused at least P115.536 million. The NDRRMC's Thursday update had indicated the figure includes P74.826 million in four villages in Batangas province. Losses from Pangasinan as of last Thursday were estimated at P40,710,300, the NDRRMC added. — LBG, GMA News