Hagonoy mayor cited for marine protection

Efforts of the coastal town of Hagonoy, Bulacan to manage and preserve its coastal resources gained national recognition from the Philippine National Police, which awarded Hagonoy Mayor Felix "Toti" Ople the "Bantay Dagat Award" during the PNP Maritime Group's 9th Foundation Day at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Mayor Ople, son of Senate President Blas Ople, was the lone local chief executive given the award "for his valuable support and assistance in providing support and assistance to the Bantay Dagat Fishery Law Enforcement Training and Radio Communications.

PNP chief Deputy Director General Panfilo Lacson, together with Senior Superintendents Reynaldo Acop and Rogelio Regalado, Director of the Maritime Group, presented the award to Ople.

Mayor Ople has been working closely with the Philippine National Police Maritime Group in safeguarding the town's coastal borders and discouraging the use of illegal fishing methods. Hagonoy's "Bantay Dagat" program led by Senior Inspector Miguel Atienza is the most active in Central Luzon and enjoys the complete support of the municipal government.

For his part, Ople has ordered the enactment of a Municipal Fishery Code to manage municipal waters and penalize the improper exploitation of natural resources.

The town of Hagonoy, which is located along Manila Bay, has at least 7,300 hectares of fishponds and is considered the largest producer of milkfish and prawns in Region 3. Several corporations based in Metro Manila get their supply of prawns from Hagonoy for export to Japan, Taiwan, Europe and the United States.