TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session  
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
H. No. ______
Introduced by Representative Binky April M. Tupas 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING A CENTRAL MULTI-SPECIES FRESHWATER 
HATCHERY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BAROTAC VIEJO, 
PROVINCE OF ILOILO, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Barotac Viejo is a first-class municipality in the Province of Iloilo. It is in the 
northern part of the province, facing the strait of Guimaras and island of Negros. It is 
bounded on the north by San Rafael, on the west by Banate, on the south by the 
Visayan Sea, and on the east by Ajuy. It is 57 kilometers (35 mi) from Iloilo City. It 
has land area of 185.78 square kilometers or 71.73 square miles which constitutes 
3.72% of Iloilo's total area. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 
48,614. This represented 2.37% of the total population of Iloilo province, or 0.61% of 
the overall population of the Western Visayas region. 
Barotac Viejo has 26 barangays which consists of 18 inland barangays and 8 
coastal barangays. Based on the Municipal Fisherfolk Registration System of BFAR 
or FishR, there are 4,018 registered municipal fisherfolk in the municipality. 
Barotac Viejo has natural bodies of waters, two of which are the Barotac Viejo 
River (7 km) and the Barotac Cayo River (5 km). It also has several creeks and 
springs. The Barotac Viejo River is the longest and widest river passing through the 
heart of the town. It has never been dry and sometimes overflow its banks on rainy 
days. The river is utilized for bathing, laundry and for aquaculture purposes.  
The Barotac Viejo Small Reservoir Irrigation Project, a Php 993.3-million 
project, was inaugurated on April 16, 2019 at Nueva Invencion Village, Barotac Viejo, 
Iloilo. Its water sources come from Barotac Viejo River and the construction of zoned 
earth fill dam with its appurtenant structures provide timely and reliable irrigation 
service to 2,050 hectares of agricultural lands in the villages of California, La Fortuna, 
Natividad, Sto. Domingo, Bugnay, San Miguel, San Antonio, San Geronimo, San 
Lucas, Vista Alegre, and Dela Peña in the Municipality of Barotac Viejo, and Merced, 
Carmelo, Talokgangan, Bariga Magdalo, and Libertad in the Municipality of Banate. 
July 14, 2025
8:00 am
1791




TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session  
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
H. No. ______
Introduced by Representative Binky April M. Tupas 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING A CENTRAL MULTI-SPECIES FRESHWATER 
HATCHERY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BAROTAC VIEJO, 
PROVINCE OF ILOILO, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. There shall be established, under the supervision of the 
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of 
Agriculture (DA-BFAR), a central multi-species freshwater hatchery in the 
Municipality of Barotac Viejo, Province of Iloilo. 
SEC. 2. Prior to the establishment of the multi-species marine hatchery, 
the DA-BFAR shall conduct a full-scale feasibility study in support of its 
construction to comply with the requirements of the Department of Budget 
and Management. 
The DA-BFAR shall, within three (3) years after the establishment of the 
central multi-species freshwater hatchery, transfer the management of 
the same to the Northern Iloilo State University (NISU) through a 
Memorandum of Agreement. The DA-BFAR shall implement a training 
and phasing-in program for NISU personnel and the local government 
personnel of the Municipality of Barotac Viejo on the management and 
operation of the central multi-species freshwater hatchery. 
The DA-BFAR and the NISU shall conduct continuing research and 
experimentation on the breeding and production of freshwater species, 
especially as they apply to local conditions, to discover new methods and 
technology that shall benefit the fisheries industry. 
SEC. 3. The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department’s 
programs the establishment of the central multi-species freshwater 
hatchery in the Municipality of Barotac Viejo, Province of Iloilo, the funding 
of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The 
NISU shall set aside funds from any available revenue in an amount 
deemed appropriate for the operationalization of the hatchery. 
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SEC. 4. Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the 
Department of Agriculture and the NISU shall issue the rules and 
regulations on the establishment, supervision, monitoring, and the 
eventual transfer of the management of the central multi-species 
freshwater hatchery to the NISU. 
 
SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,