Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday renewed his push for the creation of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) through Senate Bill No. 417, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by Filipino fisherfolk and measures to better support them.

“Given the countless challenges that harm our fisherfolk, it is logical to have a dedicated Department accountable for our fisheries and aquatic resources,” he said.

Cayetano issued the statement after the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform held a hearing on February 18 that tackled bureaucratic red tape, declining fish catch, and weak enforcement.

The hearing also tackled the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing commercial vessels inside the 15-kilometer municipal waters, raising concerns as municipal catch declines while commercial output rises.

In his proposed measure, Cayetano said the country must treat fisheries as a national priority.

“The Philippines, being an archipelago with very rich marine resources, can be a marine powerhouse,” he said.

He stressed that despite their contribution to food security and the economy, fisherfolk remain economically vulnerable and remain among the poorest sectors despite the country’s vast marine wealth.

“It is time that the government provides for a focused, single-minded, specialised department responsive to the needs and concerns of the fisheries and aquatic resource industry,” the minority leader said.

The proposed DFAR would separate fisheries governance from the Department of Agriculture and serve as the primary regulatory and policy-making body for the sector.

It aims to prioritize small-scale fisherfolk, strengthen monitoring against illegal fishing, promote science-based policies, and streamline overlapping functions currently handled by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), and marine programs under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

During the February 18 hearing, Senator Francis Pangilinan voiced support for the creation of a dedicated fisheries department.

“Sa unang araw ng kwaresma nagagalak ako na nakakapangmingwit ng mga fishers of men ang ating kapwa senador na iniintindi ang kapakanan ng sektor na nagpapakain sa atin… [gaya ni] Senator Alan Cayetano, na tulad ko ay gustong bigyan ng isang buong departamento sa pamahalaang nasyonal ang mga mangingisda,” Pangilinan said.

Cayetano has filed versions of the measure in previous Congresses and proposed an initial funding of P5 billion for the new department. 

He said the reform will strengthen enforcement, protect municipal waters, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve fisherfolk livelihoods.

“This will be a significant step in order to better protect, utilize, maximize, and conserve the nation’s marine resources as well as uphold the best interest of the fisherfolk,” he said.###