Republic of the Philippines
House of Representative
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HoUSEBILLNo.9533
RECEIVED
DATE   I .3  NOV   £Ufj
Introduced by Representative Christian S. Unabia
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This  bill  seeks  to  establish  a  multi-species  freshwater  fish  and  marine
hatchery  in Barangay Poblacion,  Municipality  of Salay,  Province  of Misamis
Oriental.
A  fish hatchery  is  a facility designed to  cultivate  and breed fish  in an
enclosed artificial environment.  It provides for fish eggs to develop and hatch by
maintaining proper water temperature, oxygen levels, disease control, food, and
protection from predators.  Hatcheries are also used for stock enhancement and
are also known as "res/or¢/jo# aqc4c}ccj/f#7'e" through which fish and shellfish are
raised in a hatchery and then released to a bigger environment to be grown to a
desired  weight  and  thereafter  harvested  to  supplement  the  demands  of the
consuming public.
The  government  is pushing  for the  establishment  of fish hatcheries  to
distribute fingerlings to fishpond operators to increase their harvest and support
the country' s supply of marine products.  In Misamis Oriental, there are sixty (60)
units  of registered  Norwegian  cages,  thirty-one  (31)  units  of bamboo  cages
cultivating milkfish, and fishpond with a total area of 107.727 hectares used for
monoculture and polyculture of tilapia, bangus, hito, koi, shrimp and other marine
species.   However, the harvest is insufflcient to meet the increasing demand for
freshwater and marine products in Misamis Oriental and adjoining provinces.


The Municipality of Salay is a coastal town with fishing as one of the maj or
sources of income among the Salayanos.  It is also prone to typhoons and floods
and other natural disasters.  Promoting aquaculture in the area will help mitigate
losses  for these fishermen who  are relying on fishing  in the open sea during
natural disasters.
The establishment of a multi-species freshwater fish and marine hatchery
in Barangay Poblacion, Municipality of Salay will encourage people to venture
into commercial fish farming. When fingerlings are abundant and available in the
area, this will eventually solve the increasing demand for aquaculture production
in Region 10.
The hatchery will be designed to support the growth and reproduction of
different species, cultivation and breeding of a variety of highly valued aquatic
species, and promote commercial fish farming.
The hatchery will provide a sustainable source of income and opportunities
for the local community of Salay, lower operating capital for fish farmers, and
more  revenues  to  the  local  government unit.  It will  also  meet the  increasing
demand for marine products in the country.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested.
2


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HOUSEBILLNo.9533
Introduced by Representative Christian S. Unabia
1                                                                      AN ACT
2     ESTABLISHING   A   MULTI-SPECIES   FRESIIVVATER   FISH   AND
3     MARINE HATCHERY IN BARANGAY P0BLACI0N, MUNICIPALITY
4     0F     SALAY,     PROVINCE     OF     MISAMIS     ORIENTAL,     AND
5     APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
6
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House Of Represehiatives Of the Republic Of
the Philippines in Congress assembled.
1°                 SECTION  1.  There  shall  be  established,  under  the  supervision  of the
11      Bureau of Fisheries  and Aquatic Resources  of the Department of Agriculture
12     (BFAR-DA), a multi-species freshwater fish and marine hatchery in Barangay
13      Poblacion, Municipality of salay, Province ofMisamis oriental.
14                 SEC. 2.  Prior to the establishment of the multi-species freshwater fish and
15     marine hatchery,  the BFAR-DA  shall  conduct  a  full-scale  feasibility  study  in
16     support of its construction to comply with the requirements of the Department of
17      Budget and Management.


1                 Within two (2) years after the construction of the multi-species freshwater
2     fish and marine hatchery, the BFAR shall, through a memorandum of agreement,
3     transfer  its  management  to  the  local  government  unit  concerned.   It  shall
4     implement a training and phasing-in program for local government personnel on
5     the management and operation of the multi-species freshwater fish and marine
6      hatchery.
7                 SEC.    3.    The   BFAR-DA    shall    conduct   continuing   research    and
8     experimentation  on  the  breeding  and  production  of freshwater  fish  species,
9      especially  as  they  apply  to  local  conditions,  to  discover  new  methods  and
10     technologies that will enhance the fishing industry.
11                  SEC. 4.   The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department's
12     programs the conduct of the feasibility study and the consequent establishment
13      of multi-species  freshwater  fish  and  marine  hatchery  in  Barangay Poblacion,
14     Municipality of salay, Province of Misamis oriental, the funding of which shall
15      be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.  The local government unit
16      concerned shall set aside funds from any available local revenue in an amount
17     deemed appropriate for the operationalization of the hatchery.
18                 SEC.  5.  Within  sixty  (60)  days  from  the  effectivity  of this  Act,  the
19      Secretary of Agriculture shall issue the necessary rules and regulations on the
20     supervision, operation, monitoring, and eventual transfer of the management of
21      the multi-species freshwater fish and marine hatchery to the local government of
22     the Municipality ofsalay, Province ofMisamis oriental.
4


1                  SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
2      the oil?cz.cz/ GczzeJ/e or in a newspaper of general circulation.
3                 Approv ed,
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