• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
In a bid to cushion the impact of the ongoing crisis in the blue crab industry, the municipal government of E.B. Magalona in Negros Occidental is reviving its popular “Sabado Nights” program with a new focus aimed at creating a strong local market for the town’s most prized seafood.
The month-long event officially opens on Aug. 1 and will run every Saturday throughout August from 5 p.m. to 12 midnight at the plaza covered court.
Mayor Matthew Louis Malacon said the initiative serves as a temporary but immediate intervention to address the challenges confronting the local blue crab industry, particularly the absence of an export market.
Instead of allowing blue crabs to be sold at depressed prices of only P120 to P140 per kilogram, the municipal government will directly purchase the catch from local vendors and fisherfolk at P300 per kilogram, more than double the prevailing market price.
“This is our way of creating a local market while increasing the income of our fisherfolk. Rather than allowing their catch to be sold cheaply, the municipality will buy directly from them at a higher price,” Malacon said.
Although “Sabado Nights” was introduced during the administration of former mayor and now Vice Mayor Marvin Malacon, this year’s edition carries a new mission.
That is, promoting E.B. Magalona’s blue crab industry while helping fisherfolk, vendors, and crab workers affected by the decline in exports.
At the center of the celebration is the much-anticipated “Eat-All-You-Can Blue Crabs” promotion, where visitors can feast on freshly cooked blue crabs for only P300.
The event will also feature acoustic performances by local entertainers, making it both a culinary and cultural attraction.
For guests seeking more options, an à la carte menu featuring fresh oysters, inasal, seafood dishes, and other local delicacies will also be available.
For the grand launching alone, organizers expect to prepare around 400 to 500 kilograms, or roughly half a ton, of fresh blue crabs sourced directly from town’s nine coastal barangays.
Beyond providing immediate economic relief, the local government hopes the event will strengthen domestic tourism and reinforce E.B. Magalona’s identity as the “Home of Blue Crabs in Negros Occidental”.
The initiative complements the municipality’s broader efforts to revive the industry through Executive Order No. 33, which created the Municipal Crab Industry Task Force tasked with identifying policies and interventions needed to address the sector’s challenges.
Malacon said he has recommended an ordinance before the Sangguniang Bayan that would grant tax incentives to stakeholders involved in the blue crab industry.
Meanwhile, Executive Order No. 36 focuses on promoting municipal crab markets, identifying alternative markets outside the town, and creating additional economic opportunities for local residents.
Malacon said both executive orders seek to revitalize the municipality’s blue crab industry, which has suffered due to the decline in exports that forced some crab processing plants to suspend operations. | GPB
