Davao Region first to receive fishery patrol boats

DAVAO CITY May 2 (PIA)- Among the regions in Mindanao,  the Davao Region is the first to receive their share of patrol boats given by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to municipal governments units.

BFAR Regional Director Fatma Idris gladly notes that Region 11 is one of the five regions nationwide, and the only one in Mindanao given such facility to strengthen community-based coastal  resources  management.

Region XI gets six of such patrol boats which cost P1.2 million each.  These are given to the municipalities of Tarragona and Lupon in Davao Oriental;  Maco and Pantukan, Compostela Valley; Tagum City, Davao del Norte; and in Digos City, Davao del Sur.

Each patrol boat not only  has a boat cradle through which it can be  tugged inland and be kept in a safe-house.  It is also equipped with global positioning system (GPS),  telescope, compass , life jackets,  enabling Bantay-Dagat volunteers to go after  illegal marine resource poachers.

“Talagang mahuhuli sila ng mga Bantay-Daga. (They can surely be caught by the Bantay-Dagat.),” Idris said also hinting the high speed capacity  of the units.

The Davao Region may not be the only Mindanao region which is concerned with coastal environment protection but, Idris said, its LGUs are quick in complying the requirements of the Department of Agriculture which has given BFAR the funding for “Improving the Inherent Capacity in Fishery and Coastal Resources Management” project.  Thus, it grabs the patrol boats way ahead of the other regions.

Among the requirements are  the coastal resource management certification from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),  presence of  active Fisheries and  Aquatic Resource Management Council (FARMC) and  the passage of  a local Fisheries Code.

BFAR  is distributing such boats so LGUs  can ably raise the level of vigilance along the coastlines.

“This is in line with the thrust of our national director Atty. Asis Perez  who prioritizes coastal protection and conservation,” she added. “Less investment is needed if we take care of our coastal environment,” she added.

LGUs may have found it less taxing to get  such patrol units from the national government because they are not required to put in a counterpart fund, except for fuel expenses in operating them.    They are also required to shoulder the maintenance.

BFAR counts in the active involvement of LGUs and coastal communities as its partners in protecting and nurturing the coastal environment upon which majority of the Filipino are dependent of their livelihood.

“Hinihiling lang namin ang kanilang pagpapahalaga kung ano man ang binibigay ng gobyerno.  (We are just asking them to value what the government is giving them.)  (PIA-11/ Jeanevive D. Abangan)