ZAMBOANGA CITY โ Sardine manufacturers in Zamboanga, the countryโs canned sardine capital, have agreed to freeze prices until the end of 2025, heeding a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meant to keep a staple food affordable for millions of Filipino households.
Industrial Group of Zamboanga, Inc. (IGZI) president Leonardo Tan said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) asked all 13 sardine canners in the city to hold off on price increases amid ongoing economic pressures.
โThis is our response to the Presidentโs call to keep canned sardines affordable,โ Tan told reporters, adding that manufacturers have historically cooperated with government requests affecting low-income consumers.
But Tan warned that a prolonged freeze could force some manufacturers to slow down or temporarily halt production โ a move that may strain the national sardine supply. Zamboanga-based companies account for an estimated 90% of the countryโs annual consumption, equivalent to around 12 billion tins.
Tan, who also heads ZC-E&L Corporation โ maker of Kim, Chum, Golden Town, Morjon, and Hakone sardines โ said companies are already squeezed by rising fuel prices, higher costs of imported raw materials, and mandated annual wage adjustments.
โThis year is much more difficult than last year,โ Tan said, citing natural calamities and external shocks that have pushed up production costs across the entire supply chain, from fishing operations to manufacturing and distribution.
For many Filipino families, especially the poor, a can of sardines is not just a pantry item but a vital source of affordable protein, Omega-3s, calcium, and vitamin B12. With economic insecurity still widespread, Zamboangaโs sardine manufacturers remain central to the countryโs food security, Tan noted.
Why the price freeze matters
1. Sardines are a survival staple.ย Nine in ten Filipino households eat canned sardines. For low-income families, itโs one of the few sources of protein that remains within reach. A sudden price hike would immediately hit millions of households already struggling with inflation.
2. Zamboanga controls the national supply.ย Because Zamboanga City supplies 90% of all sardines consumed nationwide, any disruption โ whether from increased costs or reduced production due to profit pressures โ could lead to shortages or unstable retail prices.
3. Sardine industry is under stress
Manufacturers are dealing with:
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Surging fuel prices
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Higher costs of imported tin plates, oil, and packaging
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Wage increases
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Weather disturbances and unpredictable fish catch
The freeze keeps prices low for consumers but tightens the margins of companies already absorbing higher costs.
4. A sardine price freeze today could mean shortages tomorrow. If manufacturers slow down or stop production due to unsustainable operating costs, supply may drop โ creating the very price spikes the government is trying to prevent.
5. Food security at stake.ย Canned sardines are part of emergency relief packs, school feeding programs, and everyday Filipino diets. Keeping them stable in price and supply is essential to national nutrition and social stability.
-with reports from Nonoy Lacson
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