Authorities confiscate ₱2-B giant clams in GenSan

General Santos City (CNN Philippines, October 29) — Authorities on Monday seized around 120,000 tons of giant clams, locally known as “taklobo,” in General Santos City.

The National Bureau of Investigation said taklobo is sold for ₱5,000 per kilogram. The haul was estimated to fetch around ₱2 billion. Giant clams are being used to make jewelry and cosmetic products.

But according to the caretaker, no violation was made because the clams did not come from water bodies.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has declared taklobo as an endangered species. Giant clam is in BFAR’s list of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which means that catching the marine life is illegal under the fisheries code.