Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGTHTEENTH CONGRESS 
HOUSE BILL No._______ 
____________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: HON. JOSE “JUN” L. ONG 
AN ACT UPGRADING THE EXISTING LAOANG MULTI-SPECIES HATCHERY 
(LMSH) IN LAOANG, NORTHERN SAMAR AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Since time immemorial, fisheries industry has been an important source of livelihood for Filipinos, 
fish being the country’s second staple food next to rice. On the average, every Filipino consumes 
daily about 98.6 grams of fish and fish products (FNRI,1994). 
Fishery is likewise, a notable sector in the Philippine economy. For the period 1985 to 1998, the 
average annual contribution of fishery to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) at current 
prices amounted to 3.6 percent. In 1998, the gross value added (GVA) at current prices of the 
industry amounted to P74.1 billion, contributing 2.7 percent and 2.8 percent to the country’s GDP 
and Gross National Product, respectively. Its share to the agriculture, fishery and forestry sector 
is 17.6 percent. 
Northern Samar consists of 24 municipalities, it is a a coastal province with 15 coastal towns, 5 
island towns, and 4 interior towns. Fishing is the primary source of income for Nortehanons with 
a total of 23, 806 fisherfolks and thus it is important for a coastal municipality like Laoang to 
manage its fishery in a way that allows continued environmental health and fishery output that is 
beneficial not only to Laoang but to neighboring municipalities thus securing food security of the 
population. Upgrading the Laoang Multi Species Hatchery shall provide an opportunity to further 
develop alternative livelihood opportunities or long-term employment programs for the people. It 
shall eventually be a sustainable potential strategy that would affect the economy of Laoang and 
could have a lasting effect on the fishery industry of Northern Samar.  
The Laoang Multi-Species Hatchery (LMSH) is located in Brgy. Aroganga, Laoang, Northern 
Samar. It has a total land area of (1) hectare and was launched primarily in 2006 as part of 
Mariculture Park, and in 2014, in order to address the need to supply fry/ fingerlings for grown out 
culture of priority commodities in the area, it was established as hatchery.  
LMSH is a massive capital investment, and with huge potential; however, full blown operations 
has not been reached because trying to make LMSH hatchery continuously operational year-
round has proven to be a huge challenge to the management. Firstly, funds are limited. Secondly, 
the lack of sufficient freshwater supply is quite frustrating which, until at present, has not yet been 
addressed. Thirdly, it is often visited by strong typhoons and stocks are in constant danger of 
being washed out and structures damaged instantaneously. It would be a huge waste not to 
maximize this facility that is already there. 
The Laoang Multi-Specie Hatchery in Laoang, Northern Samar needs to be upgraded to develop 
market competitiveness and this will provide novel opportunities to the fisherfolks of Northern 
Samar and shall accord benefits to their families. The estimated cost for its improvement and 
October 19, 2021
1:52 pm
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upgrading is at Thirty Million Pesos (PhP 30,000,000.00) and the creation of a law to cover the 
same and support its operation will not only benefit the people of Laoang but also its neighboring 
towns. 
Finally, in order to sustain the food production and security in Northern, Samar and its neighboring 
provinces, the approval of this Bill is earnestly sought. 
JOSE “JUN” L. ONG, JR. 
Representative 
Second District, Northern Samar 


 Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGTHTEENTH CONGRESS 
HOUSE BILL No._______ 
_________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: HON. JOSE “JUN” L. ONG 
AN ACT UPGRADING THE EXISTING LAOANG MULTI-SPECIES HATCHERY 
(LMSH) IN LAOANG, NORTHERN SAMAR AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. That the Laoang Multi-Species Hatchery in Northern Samar will be upgraded and will 
undergo improvement, the said facility will still be under the jurisdiction of Department of 
Agriculture- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR). 
Section 2. The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department of Agriculture’s programs 
the immediate upgrading of the Laoang Multi-Species Hatchery in Laoang, N. Samar as 
mandated herein. Henceforth, funds for the proposed project shall be 
included in the General Appropriations Act. 
Section 3. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DA-BFAR shall promulgate 
the necessary Implementing Rules and Regulations in the supervision and monitoring and the 
transfer or withdrawal by the BFAR to implement this Act. 
Section 4. Separability Clause. Any provision of this act that is declared unconstitutional shall not 
have the effect of nullifying other portions or provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions 
can still subsist and be given effect in its entirety. 
Section 5. Repealing Clause. all laws, ordinances, rules, regulations or parts hereof, which are 
inconsistent with this act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
Section 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or 
News Paper of general circulation. 
Approved. 
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