TUGUEGARAO CITY, CAGAYAN (PIA) – Government forces in Cagayan Valley laid various key interventions to help cushion the impact of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue on the fisherfolk during the recently conducted Dagyaw 2024: Open Government Town Hall Meeting in Santiago City, Isabela.
With the theme: “Pamana ng Karagatan ang West Philippine Sea”, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional director Agnes de Leon said the Dagyaw is a platform to address pressing issues in the country, including the WPS.
Regional Director Angel Encarnacion of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 2 said the WPS plays a significant role in the government’s food security agenda, contributing 15 percent to the national fisheries production.
He said BFAR distributed small commercial fishing vessels and awarded a 62-footer commercial fishing vessel in Sabtang, Batanes. The bureau also established fish aggregating devices in the area and provided fuel subsidies to fisherfolk.
“BFAR also continues to intensify seaweed farming and establish more seaweed nurseries. We also intensify our monitoring, control, and surveillance in partnership with the Philippine Coastguard (PSG),” Encarnacion said.
Fernando Siringan, professor at the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute, highlighted the rich biodiversity resources in the WPS, especially the corals which serve as home to various fish species.
He said 25 percent of the marine life and the coral reefs in the Philippines are in the WPS.
Meanwhile, lawyer Fretti Ganchoon, senior state counsel of the Department of Justice (DOJ), said the government remains firm in its commitment to defend its territory.
Associate Director General Francis Jude Lauengco of the National Security Council assured the council’s effort and actions to promote, protect, and safeguard the country’s sovereignty over the WPS.
He said the council’s military and law enforcement activities conducted 77 air patrols and 246 surface patrols at the WPS to prevent conflict in the WPS and all maritime jurisdictions of the Philippines while strengthening the capabilities of the military and the civilian naval forces. (OTB/GVB/PIA Region 2)
