‘SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

3523

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by Representative Ben P. Evardone
Lone District, Eastern Samar

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In an actual fishing exploration or test-catch in May 2006, the M/V DA-BFAR, with a
single drop of purse-seine nets, gathered 15 tons of fish catch at once. The fish species caught
were a combination mostly of tuna and blue marlin, and skipjack, with estimated value of P2.5
million pesos (local price at the time). This reported incidence confirmed the long-time belief
that Eastern Samar’s municipal waters is a rich fishing ground,

Yet, Eastern Samar struggles for food sufficiency, and remains one of the poorest
provinces in the country.

The recent onslaught of supertyphoon “Yolanda’ (intemational codename Haiyan) on
the southern part of Eastern Samar, highlighted this struggle for food sufficiency in the province
The survivors had to live through its aftereffects: homelessness, joblessness, insecurity, and
hunger. For weeks, they had to depend on relief packs rationed to them.

A significant number of these survivors were smalltime and subsistence fishermen who
had lost to Yolanda not only their homes but also their means of livelihood, their fishing
motorboats.

‘The Yolanda experience exposed the want of support facilities for the fishermen, such
as fishports, landing, shelter, repair and maintenance sites for motor boats as well as cold
storage areas. It underscored the need to prioritize the construction of docking or harbor sites,
especially in communities isolated by Yolanda.

For this reason, and that of Article XII, Section 7, 1987 Constitution, mandates
protection on the rights of, provision of support to subsistence fishermen, especially of local
‘communities, the author was prompted to file this bill to seek the establishment of fishports in
certain areas in Eastern Samar, particularly in the Municipalities of Oras, Dolores, Sulat,
Maydolong, Llorente, Salcedo and Guiuan as well as in the City of Borongan,

Verily, with fishports and anclliary infrastructures in place, recurrence of after-typhoon
isolation of communities in Eastern Samar would be avoided, food security achieved, economic
growth and development hastened.

On this score, urgent passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

BEN P. RVARDONE
Representative


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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE BILL No.

3523

Introduced by Representative Ben P. Evardone
Lone District, Eastern Samar

AN ACT

ESTABLISHING FISHPORTS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF MAYDOLONG, IN
BARANGAY MINAANOD IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF LLORENTE, IN BARANGAY
STA. MONICA AND POBLACION AREA IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ORAS, IN
BARANGAYS SAN ISIDRO AND SAN VICENTE IN MUNICIPALITY OF SULAT, IN
BARANGAY MATARINAO IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SALCEDO, IN BARANGAYS.
HILABAAN, TIKLING AND POBLACION AREA IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
DOLORES, IN BARANGAYS CAMPARANG, CASUGURAN, BUENAVISTA,
SULANGAN AND SULUAN AND POBLACION AREA IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
GUIUAN, AND IN BARANGAY SABANG SOUTH IN THE CITY OF BORONGAN,
ALL IN EASTERN SAMAR, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

Section 1.There shall be established, under the supervision of the
Department of Agriculture, through the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority
(PFDA), fishports in the Municipality of Maydolong, in Barangay Minaanod in the
Municipality of Llorente, in Barangay Sta, Monica and Poblacion area in the
Municipality of Oras, in Barangays San Isidro and San Vicente in the Municipality of
Sulat, in Barangay Matarinao in the Municipality of Salcedo, in Barangays Hilabaan,
Tikling, and poblacion area in the Municipality of Dolores, in Barangays Camparang,
Casuguran, Buenavista, Sulangan and Suluan and poblacion area in the Municipality
of Guiuan, and in Barangay Sabang South in the City of Borongan, all in Eastern
Samar,

Section 2. The Department of Agriculture, through the Philippine Fisheries
Development Authority, shall issue the rules and regulations necessary for the
effective implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days from its effectivity,

Section 3. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall
be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into
law and thereafter.

Section 4. The municipal government units concerned shall set aside sufficient
funds for the operation of the fishports within their respective jurisdiction from any
available local revenues in an amount deemed necessary.

Section 5. This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at least two (2)
national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,