It all started in 1948, when Mr. Reynaldo G. Tiangco, who came from very humble beginnings, from the coastal town of Navotas, bought a small traditional boat locally known as a “bangka” to catch mackerel, round scad, and herring in the waters of Manila Bay.

Reynaldo’s eldest son, Restituto B. Tiangco, spent much of his adolescent life assisting in the family business, literally learning the ropes of operating a fishing enterprise. After marrying in 1966, Restituto decided to set up his own fishing venture so he would have the financial means to support a growing family. Reynaldo fully supported Restituto B. Tiangco, providing him with a loan.

From there, Restituto B. Tiangco would take his fishing business to greater heights, pursuing aggressive but thoughtful expansion. In 1967, he built his own 95-foot wooden purse seiner- named Tobirey- that would fish in the Palawan and Visayan waters catching mackerel, round scad, and sardines. Two additional wooden purse seiners- Mariely and Paulrey- were manufactured in 1969. Further expansion occurred in the seventies. Three 125-foot steel purse seiners were constructed- Ladylin, Babylyn, and John Rey. Then three pre-owned fishing vessels –Lynette, Marlynn, and Roselyn – were purchased in Japan, providing the capability for tuna purse seining, in the waters of the West Philippine Sea.

In 1986, Trans Pacific Journey Fishing Corporation (or TPJ) was established. By this time, a strategic decision was made to focus on Tuna Purse Seine.

TPJ has 14 Tuna Purse Seiners  and 5 Refrigerated Carriers, with capacity ranging from 800 to 1,800 metric tons. The company is committed to sustainability and to environmentally-friendly fishing operations by continuously upgrading it’s vessels and continuous crew trainings.  Moreover, TPJ has industry-leading crew retention because of its commitment to developing and retaining employees through training and benefit programs.