Seven troubled Zamboanga canning firms close shop.

(From BusinessWorld (Philippines))

Byline: Darwin T. Wee

Zamboanga City - Seven out of the nine canneries in dire straits here have already ceased operating, as fishing operators said they can no longer sustain rising operating costs amid low fish catch. This, despite an earlier commitment to the Arroyo administration that they would not shut down for the sake of their workers.

Roberto Baylosis, vice-president of Southern Philippines Deep Sea Fishing Association, Inc., said that eight out of the 15 fishing operators here that supply fish to the canning factories are no longer operating since there has been no solution to the high operating cost …