NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 122
of tljr
72 JUL-7 P2S2
RECEr/rDBY:
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A MULTI-SPECIES MARINE HATCHERY IN THE 
MUNICIPALITY OF TALACOGON, PROVINCE OF AGUSAN DEL SURf AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Fish has always been an integral part of the traditional diet for Filipinos as 
cited in a study by Dr. Rolando Platon, former chief of the Southeast Asian Fisheries 
Development Center and Aquaculture. The global declining trend of capture fisheries 
calls for intensified promotion of aquaculture activities and top potential areas for 
aquaculture fish production.
Aquaculture is growing much faster than capture fisheries. However, the 
global position of the Philippines in aquaculture production has fallen steadily from 
fourth place in 1985 to twelfth place today. The Philippines now contributes only a 
little over 1 percent of global farm fish production compared to 5 percent previously. 
In addition, there is a need to fill the gap in fish production as the estimated 
requirement for fish fry in the Philippines is about 3.5 billion annually, while local 
production is only at 2.5 billion a year.
Talacogon is a 2nd class municipality in the Province of Agusan Del Sur with a 
population of 39,67s.1 Though it is a landlock municipality, fishing is one of the main 
sources of living of its citizen. Most of the catch of the fisherfolks came from the 
Agusan Marsh, which is one of the most ecologically significant wetlands in the 
country, where rivers, creeks and tributaries converge and drain northward to 
Agusan River and in Butuan Bay.
https://www.philatlas.com/mindanao/caraga/agusan-del-sur/taIacogon.html


To strengthen the fishing industry and to provide additional income 
opportunities to the small fisherfolks of the municipality, this bill is being proposes to 
establish a multi-species marine hatchery In the Municipality of Talacogon, Province 
of Agusan Del Sur.
In view of the foregoing, the Immediate passage of the bill is requested.
CYNTHIA A. VILLAR \


#4
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
Senate
-ir77 
_
o( ^i'crrtnr,^
•22 JII-7 P2 51
SENATE
s. No. 122
HECEP'/ED BV;
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A MULTI-SPECIES MARINE HATCHERY IN THE 
MUNICIPALITY OF TALACOGON, PROVINCE OF AGUSAN DEL SUR, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembied:
1 
SECTION 1. There shall be established, under the supervision of the
2 
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of
3 
Agriculture (BFAR-DA), a freshwater fish hatchery in the Municipality of
4 
Talacogon, Province of Agusan del Sur.
5 
SEC. 2. The BFAR-DA shall transfer the management of the
6 
freshwater fish hatchery to the local government of Talacogon within two
7 
(2) years after its construction through a memorandum of agreement. It
8 
shall implement a training and phasing-in program for local government
9 
personnel on the management and operation of the hatchery.
10 
The BFAR-DA shall conduct continuing research and experimentation
11 
on freshwater aquaculture, especially as they apply to local conditions, to
12 
discover new methods and technology that shall benefit the freshwater
13 
fisheries industry.
14 
SEC. 3. The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the
15 
Department's programs the establishment of the freshwater fish hatchery
16 
in the Municipality of Talacogon, Province of Agusan del Sur, the funding
17 
of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The
18 
local government unit shall set aside funds from any available local
19 
revenue in an amount deemed appropriate for the operationalization of
20 
the hatchery.
21 
Sec. 4. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the
22 
Secretary of Agriculture shall issue the rules and regulations on the


supervision, operation, monitoring, and the eventual transfer of the 
management of the freshwater fish hatchery to the local government of 
Talacogon.
Sec. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,