DURING THE HOLIDAYS, there was a loud clamor for the reduction and control of the price of fish. This is always a recurring screech even from locals during town fiestas. Just this week, news broke that due to the Earth's changing alignment in the last 3000 years, the sign you are born into may now be different than what it was long ago. There is a 13 th Zodiac sign called Ophiuchus which falls between Scorpio and Sagittarius. "This is not something that happened today. This has gone on for thousands of years," says Astronomer Parke Kunkle. For me, this is just like the chronic skyrocketing of the price of fish.
OPHIUCHUS is “serpent-bearer” in Greek. However, among other characters from Greek mythology, Ophiuchus is thought to represent Phorbas, who saved the people of Rhodes from an infestation of sea serpents. Obviously, sea serpents devour lots of fish thus making them scarce and, of course, expensive. The constellation Ophiuchus is located near the celestial equator and is typically depicted as ‘a man wrangling a sea serpent'. Thus, we can easily deduce that this sign is bound to strangle those who cause the rising prices of fish. If this is so, we ought to welcome this ‘new' Zodiac sign and the changes that go with it! All my life, I've always enjoyed being a Scorpio, a radical stinger and now, in a finger's flick, I am a Libra! Huh!? Am I ready? Of course, if it is for the reduction of the price of fish, I must be!
For astrology enthusiasts and horoscope fans, you should technically be using these dates, which reflect the current alignment of the Sun, Earth and stars. Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16; Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11; Pisces: March 11-April 18; Aries: April 18-May 13; Taurus: May 13-June 21; Gemini: June 21-July 20; Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10; Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16; Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30; Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23; Scorpio: Nov. 23-Nov. 29; Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17; and Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.
For those who love to eat fish, you should also be technically hoping for these: Firstly, that a standard pricing scheme of fishes be studied, drafted, nationally adopted and locally implemented. Just as I have said before, if a standard rate for other commodities can be set-up, why not that of fishes. To be considered in determining the standard pricing are the kind (species), primacy, popularity, how easy or hard to catch, and the right size, among others.
There must be more than considerable difference between the prices of the right size (mature) and younger and smaller fishes. Take for example the spinefoot or rabbit fish, ‘danggit' in Bisaya. The danggit's fingerlings, called “tagum-tagum” or ”kujog” or ”ngisi-ngisi” cost much way higher than that of the mature fish. This should not be so. Yes, I admit it, I like “kinilaw nga tagum-tagum” better than that of the teen danggits. But then, considering that tagum-tagum has not yet fully grown and has not spawned a next generation for our future harvest, the price must be brought down so low to discourage fishermen from catching them. This would be a better way than imposing penalty and not implementing it. The same shall also apply with anchovies, “bolinao”, “lambijaw”, “mubgas”, etc. “Lap-ot”, the fries of this species, although best in brine, should be priced so low. This way scarcity of fish shall be prevented.
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