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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VED
Quezon City RECEWES

NINETEENTH CONGRESS

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First Regular Session <<, BY: WA
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HOUSE BILL no, 2005 NSC DERSE

Introduced by Honorable EULOGIO “LEO” R. RODRIGUEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Constitution states that: "The goals of national economy are a more
equitable distribution of opportunities, income, wealth; a sustained increase in the
amount of goods and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people; and
an expanding prodcutivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially the
underprivileged” (Section 1, Article XII, Constitution).

The proposed law of creating the Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center in the
Municipality of Bato, Province of Catanduanes will be congruent to the aim enshrined in
the Constitution for a more equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth
for the Philippines. The people in the island province of Catanduanes will benefit with
the proposed law herien as it will improve the fisheries industry in the province.

The Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center will focus on conducting research
and experimentation on the breeding and production of multispecies of freshwater and
saltwater fish. It will also produce fry and fingerlings that can be distrubuted and/or
sold in Catanduanes and nearby provinces, The Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center
will definitley benefit the fisheries industry not just in Catanduanes, but the entire

country.

The establishment of the Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center will empower
the people of Catanduanes to have an improved quality of life. As the old adage goes,
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you will feed
him for a lifetime.”

For the people of Catanduanes, the passage of the proposed law is earnestly
being sought.

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2005

Introduced by Honorable EULOGIO “LEO” R. RODRIGUEZ

“AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MULTISPECIES FRESHWATER AND SALTWATER
FISH HATCHERY AND RESEARCH CENTER IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BATO,
PROVINCE OF CATANDUANES, 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 multispecies
freshwater and saltwater fish hatchery and research center, to be known as the Bato,
Catanduanes Aquaculture Center in the Municipality of Bato, Province of Catanduanes.

Section 2. The Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center and the BFAR-DA shall conduct
continuing research and experimentation on the breeding and production of
multispecies of freshwater and saltwater fish, especially as they apply to local
conditions, to discover new methods and technology that shall benefit the freshwater
and saltwater aquaculture industry.

Section 3. There shall be established a Local Advisory Council that shall provide policy
direction for the Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center and facilitate the exchange of
information among stakeholders. The Council shall be composed of the BFAR Director
for Region 5 as Chairperson, the Member of the House of Representatives of the
Province of Catanduanes as Co-Chairperson, the President of the Municipal Mayors
League of Catanduanes, the Mayor of the Municipality of Bato, and three (3)
representatives from the local fisheries sector to be appointed by the Member of the
House of Representatives of the Province of Catanduanes as members.


Section 4. The Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center shall disperse fry and fingerlings
in public bodies of water in such intervals as may be recommended by the Local
Advisory Council. It may also sell such fry and fingerlings to individual or organized fish
farmers at prevailing market prices.

Section 5. The BFAR-DA shall transfer the management of the Center to the local
government of the Municipality of Bato within five (5) years after its establishment
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 Center.

Section 6. The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department's programs the
establishment of the Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center in the Municipality of Bato,
Province of Catanduanes, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act. The local government of the Municipality of Bato shall set aside
funds from any available local revenue in an amount deemed appropriate for the
operationalization of the Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center.

Section 7. Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall issue the rules and regulations on the breeding, propagation, and
distribution of fries and fingerlings, the supervision, monitoring, and the eventual
transfer of the Bato, Catanduanes Aquaculture Center to the local government of the
Municipality of Bato, Province of Catanduanes.

Section 8. If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the
other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 9. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof,
as are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

Section 10. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,