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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ime: EG
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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS £ yey WS
First Regular Session DEX.

House Bill No. _ 6342

Introduced by Honorable Gerardo “Gerryboy” J. Espina, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Biliran is a fifth-class municipality in the province of Biliran. According to 2015
census, it has a population of 16,882 people. The main livelihood of the people is to catch
fish and other marine creatures like shrimp, crabs, shells, seaweeds, and squids. As the
fish were in real short supply, fisherfolks had to go far off the coast to find fish and it was
really expensive.

Aside from spending more resources on gas just to get enough catch, the
fishermen also had to deal with harsh weather environments at the sea where, when the
waves are high, they couldn't go far. But admittedly, our marine resources may not be
sustainably available since the resource competition is intense.

To lighten the impact of resource depletion, the available technologies that
improves stocks of high-value marine commodities could be propagated by establishing
a multi-species marine hatchery in areas where it is most likely to succeed, and where
resource end-users could best benefit from these facilities.

The bill seeks to establish a multi-species marine hatchery in the municipality of
Biliran to catalyze the development of aquaculture in the town which can provide both
direct and indirect employment to its people.

Furthermore, the municipality of Biliran in the province of Biliran hosts the Biliran
Province State University (BiPSU) where, as an educational institution, champions the
honing of skills of our youth in agriculture, fisheries, sustainable development and
extension services. While the DA-BFAR's mandate includes the popularization of
aquaculture and similar endeavors, the task to manage and sustain a multi-species marine
hatchery in the municipality of Biliran area could best be handled by the BiPSU where the
location and human resources are readily available.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regul sion
House Bill No. Soe

Introduced by Honorable Gerardo “Gerryboy” J. Espina, Jr.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A MULTI-SPECIES MARINE HATCHERY
IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BILIRAN, PROVINCE OF BILIRAN 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 (BFAR-DA), a multi-
species marine hatchery in the Municipality of Biliran, Province of Biliran.

SECTION 2. The BFAR-DA shall, within two (2) years after the establishment of
the multi-species marine hatchery, transfer the management of the same to the Biliran
Province State University (BiPSU) through a memorandum of agreement. The BFAR-DA
shall implement a training and phasing-in program for BIPSU personnel on the
management and operation of the hatchery

The BFAR-DA and the BIPSU shall conduct continuing research and
experimentation on the breeding and production of marine species, especially as they
apply to local conditions, to discover new methods and technology that shall benefit the
fisheries industry.

SECTION 3. An extension program that caters the marginal fisherfolks shall be
developed by the BFAR-DA and/or by the Biliran Island Province State University
(BiPSU) for the propagation of marine species of high economic value.


SECTION 4. The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department's
programs the establishment of the multi-species marine hatchery in the Municipality of
Biliran, Province of Biliran, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act. The BIPSU concerned shall set aside funds from any available
source in an amount deemed appropriate for the operationalization of the hatchery.

SECTION 5. Within sixty (60) days from the passage of this Act, the Department of
Agriculture and the BIPSU shall issue the rules and regulations on the establishment,
supervision, monitoring, and the eventual transfer of the management of the multi-
species marine hatchery to BIPSU.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.