A Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) director has submitted a proposed four-phase strategic action plan to the Negros Occidental provincial government aimed at restoring Philippine access to the lucrative United States export market for the Negros Blue Swimming Crab industry.
A copy of the plan titled “Restoring the U.S. market for the Negros blue swimming crab industry (2026–2027)” prepared by MBCCI director Willar Gallo was furnished to the media by MBCCI president Juliana Carbon on Monday, July 13.
At stake is the economic survival of an industry that directly and indirectly supports more than 15,000 households and injects an estimated ₱6 billion to ₱7 billion in annual export revenues and related commercial activities back into local communities, the plan said.
The plan begins with Phase 1 during the first 90 days which introduces comprehensive training for crab fishers and traders, the distribution of standardized gauges to enforce legal minimum size limits, and active field protection for egg-bearing female crabs.
It also proposes the launching of digital “Boat-to-Plate” traceability system via the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources iTrace platform while systematically collecting data on bycatch and marine mammal interactions.
The estimated budget for phase 1 is P3 million.
It also recommends the creation of Provincial Crab Industry Task Force to oversee operations on the ground.
Phase 2 spanning three to six months will pivot toward upgrading post-harvest infrastructure with an estimated budget of ₱12 million funded by a blend of public support and private investment.
Led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it proposes the upgrading processing plants to meet strict global Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and HACCP standards.
The phase will also see the optimization of cold-chain storage facilities, reliable backup power, purchase of blast freezers, and food safety training for facility workforces.
The third phase of the roadmap, spanning six to 12 months , focuses heavily on administrative and diplomatic channels to finalize market re-entry.
This includes:
- Consolidation of provincial fishery sustainability and ecological impact datasets.
- Demonstration of complete compliance with strict international marine mammal protection acts.
- Securing of formal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certifications.
- Submission of comprehensive Philippine government documentation for official United States review.
- Execution of focused government-to-government (G2G) engagements to fast-track market re-entry.
Phase 4 charts a forward-thinking vision for 2027 and 2028 aimed at establishing Negros as Asia’s premier crab industry.
Instead of simply recovering past export volumes, the industry will aggressively future-proof itself by developing crab hatcheries, enhancing stock, and launching widespread mangrove rehabilitation initiatives to protect natural breeding grounds.
The long-term strategy also integrates AI-assisted fishery monitoring and digital ocean surveillance, crab processing innovation, value-added products and seeking international certifications.
The plan also calls for the creation of a Negros Blue Swimming Crab Recovery Council.
“This is more than a fisheries program. It is an employment recovery, export recovery, and coastal community development program”, the plan said.
“A relatively modest public investment of about P15 million can help catalyze the recovery of an industry that supports thousands of jobs and contributes billions of pesos annually to the economy,” it added.*
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