PNG may allow Pinoys to fish in its waters

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) hopes to enter into an agreement with Papua New Guinea which would open tuna fishing for the Philippines in that country’s waters, a cabinet official said.

DA Secretary Proceso Alcala told reporters yesterday on the sidelines of the Philippine Economic Briefing that the country is in talks with officials of Papua New Guinea for the opening of that country’s waters for fishing.

“Recently, senior officials of Papua New Guinea arrived here and it looks like we will be able to access their waters again,” he said.

He said that based on ongoing discussions, Papua New Guinea is interested in allowing the Philippines to fish in their seas given the limited capacity of its processing facilities.

Investors in Papua New Guinea, he said, are interested in taking their processing facilities for fish to General Santos City.

Apart from the limited capacity of processing facilities, Alcala said, Papua New Guinea wants to learn how to plant palay (unhusked rice) from the Philippines.

He said the DA has already prepared a module on how to teach Papua New Guinea to plant the staple.