Bill promotes BFAR officials

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu fourth district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon is pushing for the promotion of the three top officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to higher position.

Under House Bill 2313, authored by Salimbangon, the BFAR director shall be promoted to undersecretary while his two assistant directors will get the item of assistant secretaries.

BFAR is a bureau attached to the Department of Agriculture which is headed by a secretary.

The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 8550, otherwise known as the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

Salimbangon said the objective of the bill is to support fisheries and aquaculture sectors to maintain their sustainability and viability as an industry.

"Promoting BFAR officials to higher positions will give them an upper hand in dealing with their counterparts with regard to international trade negotiations and agreements," said Salimbangon who chairs the House Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources.

Salimbangon said the vastness of the Philippine maritime zone and its rich resources dictate that the country should have a marine-based economy.

"Our aquatic territory exceeding 220 million hectares is more than seven times our land territory which is only 30 million hectares," Salimbangon said.

"Being an archipelago of more than seven thousand islands, the Philippines should have been the center of the fishing industry in Asia," Salimbangon added.

Under the bill, BFAR's municipal and city fisheries officers will also be promoted to higher ranks as may be appropriate.

Salimbangon said the BFAR officials would provide frontline services so that the fisheries and aquatic sectors would be kept current in the technological aspect and access to local and international markets for their produce.— (FREEMAN)