By Leonardo Micua
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Dagupan City has approved an ordinance establishing new seafood stalls for fish retailers within the Magsaysay Fish Market area. The ordinance, passed during a special session on December 27, outlines guidelines for the management and operation of these stalls.
Jointly authored by Councilors Michael Fernandez, Jeslito Seen, Dennis Canto, Marcelino Fernandez, and Bradley Benavides, the measure is the 27th city ordinance enacted by the new majority bloc. This follows a power shift in the SP after three opposition councilors were preventively suspended by the Office of the President on November 5.
Members of the minority bloc—Councilors Librada Reyna, Alvin Coquia, Marilou Fernandez, and Celia Lim—did not attend the special session, continuing a pattern of absences and walkouts in previous sessions, including the December 23 special session and two regular sessions earlier in the month.
The ordinance seeks to address the growing number of seafood vendors while improving sanitation and accessibility for customers, including buyers from outside Dagupan City and Pangasinan Province. Under the plan, the city government will construct seafood stalls in a designated area of the Magsaysay Fish Market. These stalls will be rented exclusively to Dagupan City residents who are already operating as fish vendors in the area.
The project is expected to generate additional revenue for the city, as vendors will pay fixed monthly stall rentals instead of purchasing daily cash tickets. Additionally, the new seafood stalls aim to establish a modern seafood hub that caters to both local and visiting buyers, further enhancing Dagupan’s reputation as a key seafood destination.