Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan and several other lawmakers are pushing for the passage of a legislative measure that aims to establish a separate Cabinet-level department tasked to focus on the management of the country’s fisheries and aquatic resources.
The measure, which will create the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR), has hurdled the scrutiny of the House Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources chaired by Yamsuan and the House Committee on Government Reorganization represented by its vice chairpersons—Kabayan Partylist Rep. Ron Salo and General Santos City Rep. Loreto Acharon–on Tuesday (Nov. 19, 2024).
Both committees approved during the Tuesday joint hearing the substitute bill consolidating 13 similar measures seeking to create the DFAR, subject to the amendments introduced by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda and Tingog Partylist Rep. Jude Acidre.
Yamsuan said establishing the DFAR would help fulfill the country’s goal of attaining food security and safeguard the welfare of 2.5 million Filipinos dependent on the country’s oceans and inland water bodies for their livelihood.
“This proposed measure is not merely about governance—it is about ensuring that our marine life and those who depend on them thrive in the face of modern challenges,” Yamsuan said.
“With the creation of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, we are casting a wide net for sustainable development and economic prosperity. This is an opportunity to give our fisherfolk and marine ecosystems the future that they deserve, while creating a legacy that will ripple across generations,” he added.
Underscoring the importance of having a DFAR, Yamsuan noted that bills proposing the establishment of this department have been filed and refiled since the 8th Congress.
Yamsuan urged the passage of the DFAR bill amid concerns over the Philippines’ declining fish catch.
“This independent agency, detached from the Department of Agriculture, will reduce bureaucratic hurdles, streamline decision-making processes, and give the much-needed specialized attention and technical expertise to meet the sector’s unique needs.”
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippines produced 1.02 million metric tons (MT) of fish in the second quarter of this year, down by 6.2 percent from the 1.07 million MT output recorded in the same period a year ago. Significant decreases in production were in aquaculture and municipal fisheries, which account for 46.3 percent and 25.5 percent, respectively, of the overall production.
Yamsuan agreed with Salo and Acharon that while the Department of Agriculture (DA) is the main agency in charge of overseeing the fisheries sector, its primary focus is on land-based agriculture, which places at a disadvantage the management of the country’s aquatic resources.
“This is despite the fact that the Philippines has one of the world’s longest coastlines and most biodiverse marine ecosystems,” Yamsuan said.
The Philippines’ coastline stretches 36,289 kilometers, making it the world’s 5th longest. Salceda pointed out that other countries with shorter coastlines, such as Portugal, Kiribati and New Zealand have Ministry- or Cabinet-level offices dedicated to the management of their fisheries resources.
Yamsuan pointed out that Filipinos “heavily depend on fisheries for economic growth, food security and rural livelihoods. Yet, the sector grapples with multifaceted challenges—such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF), habitat degradation, aging fisherfolk population, and the many impacts of climate change.”
Establishing a department focused on sustainable aquatic resource management will address these challenges, he said.
“This independent agency, detached from the Department of Agriculture, will reduce bureaucratic hurdles, streamline decision-making processes, and give the much-needed specialized attention and technical expertise to meet the sector’s unique needs. With a robust institutional backing, I am certain that the DFAR will help unlock the full potential of this vital industry for generations to come,” Yamsuan said.
