Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

4883
HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ISAGANI S. AMATONG

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Siocon is a municipality in the Province of Zamboanga del Norte with a
population of 46, 907 people as of the 2015 census. It is an area with two great
bodies of water, the Sulu Sea and the Siocon River. As such, fishing is one of
the major livelihoods of its residents, second only to farming.

As a municipality that depends on its aquatic resources for its economy
and the livelihood of its residents, it is crucial that a sustainable supply of
fisheries is maintained in the bodies of water around it. Indeed, one of the
measures undertaken by the local government of Siocon is to rigorously
enforce the prohibition of commercial fishing within fifteen (15) kilometers of
municipal waters under Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code, as
amended. Another is its strict implementation of closed fishing seasons, when
fish and other marine animals are allowed to grow and multiply. Despite these
measures however, there is still a need for a pro-active measure to maintain
and increase the supply of marine resource in the area, using scientific and
research-based methods.

Thus, this bill seeks to establish a multi-species marine hatchery in the
Municipality of Siocon in the Province of Zamboanga del Norte. A multi-species
hatchery will address the problem of maintaining the supply of fish and other
marine resources in Sulu Sea and Siocon River and contribute to the economic
development of the municipality and its nearby areas. In turn, this will
promote the policy of the State under the Constitution to provide support to
such fishermen through appropriate technology and research, adequate
financial, production, and marketing assistance, and other services.

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

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. $883

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ISAGANI S. AMATONG

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MULTI-SPECIES MARINE HATCHERY IN THE
MUNICIPALITY OF SIOCON, PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the 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 Siocon,
Zamboanga del Norte.

SECTION 2. The BFAR-DA shall, within two (2) years after the establishment
of the multispecies hatchery, transfer the management of the same to the local
government of the Municipality of Siocon through a memorandum of
agreement. The BFAR-DA shall implement a training and phasing-in program
for local government personnel on the management and operation of the multi-
species hatchery.

SECTION 3. The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department's
programs the establishment of the multi-species marine hatchery in the
Municipality of Siocon, Province of Zamboanga del Norte, the funding of which
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

The local government of the Municipality of Siocon shall set aside funds
from any available local revenue such amounts as may be appropriate to
support the operation of the multi-species marine hatchery

SECTION 4. Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the
Department of Agriculture shall issue the rules and regulations on the
supervision, monitoring, and eventual transfer of the management of the
multi-species marine hatchery.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,