INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ADRIAN MICIIAEL A. AMATONG
ExpLANATORY NOTE
Under Sec.  7, Article XIII of the Constitution, the State is mandated to
"protect the right of subsistence fishermen, especially of local communities, to
the  preferential  use  of  the  communal  marine  and  fishing  resources,  both
inland  and  offshore."  Fulrthermore,  the  State  shall "provide  support  to  such
fishermen  through  appropriate  technology and  research,  adequate  financial,
production and marketing assistance, and other services."
This  constitutional  mandate  is  far  from  realized,  as  there  is  a  glaring
inadequacy   in   the   number   of  our   municipal   fish   landing   centers,   the
designated places where our subsistence fisherfolk unload and store their fish
catch.  In  the  2021  Listing  of Marine  Fish  Landing  Centers  of the  Philippine
Statistics Authority,  there  are  only  12,773  municipal fish landing centers  in
the whole Philippines, of which  12,366 are considered "traditional" or without
any managing administration.
Another problem that our fisherfolk face is fish spoilage. The Bureau of
Fisheries  and Aquatic  Resources  has  reported  that the  current fish  spoilage
across  the  country  is  between  25  to  40  percent because  of the  shortage  in
post-harvest equipment, like blast freezers, ice-making machines, cold storage
warehouses, and fish landing sites.
Thus, this measure seeks to establish a fish port with ice plant and cold
storage facility in Barangay La Libertad,  Municipality of Gutalac,  Province of
Zamboanga  del  Norte.  Establishing  the  rish  port  with  ice  plant  and  cold
storage  facility in  La Libertad,  Gutalac is feasible,  considering that the  area
boasts of high-valued marine resources from the Sulu Sea. It will also help the
residents who are mostly subsistence fisherfolk, as they will be provided with
the  necessary  facilities  where  they  can  unload  and  store  the  fish  that  they
catch.
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
anRArfaeA. AMATONG


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
HOuSBEL"o.__]]8]
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ADRIAN MICIIAEL A. AMATONG
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A FISH PORT WITH ICE PLANT
AND COLD STORAGE FACILITY IN BARANGAY IA LIBERTAD,
MUNICIPALITY OF GUTALAC, PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE,
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
B~e it eri,acted by .thf  Serrate and, the  House  Of Representatives  Of the  Philippines in
Congress assembl.ed:
SECTION   1.   There   shall   be   established,   under   the   supervision   of  the
Department  of  Agriculture,   through  the  Philippine   Fisheries  Development
Authority  (PFDA),   a  fish   port  with  ice  plant  and  cold   storage   facility  in
Barangay  La  Libertad,  Municipality  of  Gutalac,  Province  of Zamboanga  del
Norte.
SEC.  2.  Within two  (2) years after the constmction of the  fish port with ice
plant   and   cold   storage   facility,   the   PFDA,   through   a   memorandum   of
agreement,  shall transfer its management to the local government unit (LGU)
concerned. It shall implement a training and phasing-in program for the local
government personnel on the management and operation of the fish port with
Ice plant and cold storage facility.
SEC.   3.   The   Secretary  of  Agriculture   shall  include  in  the   Department's
programs  the  establishment of the  fish  port with  ice  plant and  cold  storage
facility,   the   funding  of  which   shall   be   included   in   the   annual   General
Appropriations  Act.  The   LGU  concerned   shall  set  aside  funds  from  any
available local revenue the amount necessary for the operationalization of the
fish port with ice plant and cold storage facility.
SEC. 4.  Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of
Agriculture   shall   issue   the   rules   and   regulations   on   the   supervision,
monitoring,  and transfer of the said fish port with ice plant and cold storage
facility by the PFDA to the LGU concerned.
SEC.  5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
O/fa.CZZ Gczzet€e or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,