In as a much as I want to maintain my blog as apolitical, I cannot help it sometimes.
Probe Team, a local documentary TV show here in Manila hosted by Ms. Cheche Lazaro, no less, exposed that
“Hungry Pinoys find the pest, JANITOR FISH as satisfying stomach filler!”
Yes, you read it right!
So how do you like those pesky fish be cooked or served? As sashimi served with only a dipping sauce, soy sauce with wasabi paste or other condiments such as grated fresh ginger? boiled or poached in spicy coconut milk? or just grilled? Eww!
Seriously, ARE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AWARE OF THIS? or THEY ARE JUST INSENSITIVE to the needs of marginalized sector of society to the point that they disregard such DISTURBING DISGUSTING issues of POVERTY & SOCIAL MALIGNANCIES? Or THEY ARE TOO BUSY PUSHING FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMMENDMENTS for their personal motives (?) and ATTENDING TO “MORE GLOBAL” ISSUES that would present local economy to be “improving” or soaring high, c’mmon, GET REAL ,PEOPLE!
Pterygoplichthys (janitor fish) species are opportunistic voracious feeders of mud, dirt, algae, tadpoles, insects and contribute to water turbidity. They may increase in volume and may disturb the ecosystem.
But to be fair with the authorities, I have to state that several years ago they had issued FOOD COUPONS to hungry Filipinos but ofcourse, even MORONS and IMBECILE understand that it only rendered TEMPORARY RELIEF and did not solve the issue itself.
As a young parent and a doctor, I pity children who are fed with these pests. No child deserve such treatment.
Poor children, they were born of PESKY PARENTS who voted for PESKY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS!
What’s your say?
Oh no, Janitor fish being eaten? I’m not quite sure what to say Doc, but sure hungry stomachs can withstand to eat even the uneatable for us. Quite a tragedy while our pesky government officials live and eat luxuriously on our taxes. Thanks for posting this, Doc. An eye-opener.
I wonder if the chef in Malacañang includes janitor fish in the president’s menu.
Just asking!!!
It’s a pleasure Dennis that you swing by my site.
Thanks!
I frequent yours, sobra!
they should include it! haha
From what I read, Janitor fish, although not meant for human consumption, is edible. I wonder what it tastes like – taste like chicken, kaya?
What is a janitor fish? Is it a bad-tasting, bottom-feeding kind of fish? What can the poorest of our kababayan do but eat whatever is available to them to keep body and soul together?
I blame the powers-that-be in Pinas who want to keep the status quo in perpetuity. Only an upheaval the like of what Mao did in China will change things in Pinas. Before Mao and during their transition period, famine was a frequent occurence. Look at the current state of China now – an up and coming superpower.
I remember when I was a tourist there, our tour guide said, “The only four-legged animal we do not eat is a table.” LOL.
Pterygoplichthys species are called janitor fish because they are opportunistic voracious feeders of mud, dirt, algae, tadpoles, insects and contribute to water turbidity. They may increase in volume and may disturb the ecosystem. Small janitor fish is usally put in an aquarium to “clean” the tank itself.
Few years ago, janitor fish infestations were noted at Marikina River and Laguna de Bay.
I’m not sure if they are EDIBLE but since they feed on dirtiest of dirt, I think there are a lot of risks eating such aquatic pests.
as a kid i grew up near the polluted waters of the marikina river. occasionally, i would see people catching different kinds of fish from the river to eat. but the issue here is not the fish itself, it’s the poverty that a large number of filipinos are experiencing just to survive.
on the next presidential election on 2010, it will be a bright idea to make all the presidential candidates eat fresh janitor fish sashimi in public view. that will be very “makamasa”.
Agree Rob! I wonder who’ll be the first one to take a bite! LOL.
janitors? it was like they are chewing all the dirt there is in the river.. ewe.. oh well maybe you should head on to my blog and see for yourself who amongst the presidentiables will take action against it.. LOL
Doc, I think your blog is well stated, and its obvious you’re at least an intellegant individual. That being said, I also believe this blog to be overstated and more opinionated than factual. A pleco is is just like any other catfish in the sense that it sinply eats anything and everything that fits into it’s mouth. Pest? – I think not. In Marikina today, there are hundreds of thousands of these fish surfacing in the rivers. It is true that they are in fact an introduced species, but they are only doing what nature had intended them to do – survive. If you go into the local markets you will see many foreign species of fish for sale. Some include other species of catfish such as the redtail cat, and the channel cat variety.
Though unfortunate, the issue is not the fish itself, but rather the water conditions. Like any other third-world country, if you can eat it, it will be eaten. And why not? The government did not impliment these fish as a food source, so I see no problem with the locals improvising free food. To each their own I suppose, but perhaps this blog should be about improving the city’s sanitation systems rather than discouraging people from eating an otherwise harmless fish. Just my two cents. Thanks!