Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by Honorable Michael L. Romero 
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), after undergoing a 
series of reorganizations in the past decades, today has nine (9) functional 
divisions: 
1. Fisheries Policy Research and Economics Division
2. Fishery Resources Administration Division
3. Fisheries Development and Support Services Division
4. Aquaculture Division
5. Fisheries Resources Research Division
6. EEZ Fisheries and Allied Services Division
7. Fishing Technology Division
8. Fisheries Regulation and Quarantine Division
9. and Post-Harvest Technology Division
The BFAR also has eight (8) fisheries technology center under its wing: 
1. The National Marine Fisheries Development Center
2. National Brackish-water Aquaculture Technology Research
Center
September 5, 2022
10:44 am
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3. National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Research Center
4. Tanay Freshwater Experimental Station
5. Fisheries Biological Station Complex
6. National Fisheries Research and Development Center
7. National Seaweeds Technology and Development Center
8. Mindanao Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center
This House Bill seeks to further intensify the authority and power of the Bureau 
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) by elevating it to the level of a 
Department. 
This House Bill further empowers the Department to develop, conserve, manage, 
protect and utilize the country's fisheries and aquatic resources. 
Thus, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by Honorable Michael L. Romero 
AN ACT 
CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC 
RESOURCES, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. TITLE — This Act shall be known as the Department of 
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act. 
SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY - It is hereby a declared policy of 
the state to foster the development, improvement, law enforcement, management 
and conservation of the Philippines fisheries and aquatic resources. 
The State shall protect the rights of subsistence fishermen, especially the 
local communities, to the preferential use of the communal marine and fishing 
resources, both inland and offshore. 
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The State shall provide support to such fishermen through appropriate 
technology and research, adequate financial and marketing assistance, and other 
services. 
The State shall also develop and conserve such resources. The protection 
shall extend to offshore fishing grounds of subsistence fishermen against foreign 
intrusion. Fish workers shall receive a just share from their labor in the 
utilization of marine and fishing resources. 
SECTION 3. CREATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND 
AQUATIC RESOURCES. — There shall hereby be created the Department of 
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, hereinafter referred to as the Department. 
SECTION 4. MANDATES OF THE DEPARTMENT - The Department shall 
hereby promote, encourage, conserve the country's fishing resources in order 
to insure a steady and sufficient supply of fish, and other fishery products for 
our increasing population. 
The Department shall enable those who belong to the fisheries sector to 
participate and share in the fruits of development and growth in a manner that 
utilizes the nation's resources in the most efficient and sustainable way possible 
The Department shall promote food security and shall adopt a market 
approach in assisting the fisheries sectors while recognizing the contribution of 
the sector to food security, environmental protection. 
The Department shall promote market-oriented policies in production to 
encourage fisher folk to engage in efficient and effective means of livelihood with 
the end in view of developing such sectors while modernizing the fisheries sector 
in a technology-based industry. 


SECTION 5. 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT — 
The Department shall conduct the following: 
(i) 
prepare and implement a Comprehensive National 
Fisheries Industrial Development Plan; 
(ii) 
issue licenses for the operation of commercial fishing 
vessels; 
(iii) 
issue identification cards free of charge to fish-workers 
engaged in commercial fishing; 
(iv) 
monitor and review joint fishing agreements between 
Filipino citizens and foreigners who conduct fishing activities 
in international waters, end ensure that such agreements are 
not contrary to international treaties and convention on 
fishing in the high seas; 
(v)enter into contracts, joint venture agreements, public 
private 
partnerships 
and 
such 
other 
memoranda 
of 
agreements or understanding, either domestic or foreign, 
under such terms and conditions as the Department may 
deem proper and reasonable and subject to existing laws; 
(vi) 
formulate and implement a Comprehensive Fishery 
Research and Development Program, such as, but not limited 
to, sea farming, sea ranching, tropical/ ornamental fish and 
seaweed culture, aimed at increasing resource productivity, 
improving resource use efficiency, and ensuring the long-term 
sustainability of the country's fishery and aquatic resources; 
(vii) 
establish and maintain a Comprehensive Fishery 
Information System; 
(viii) provide extensive development support services in all 
aspects of fisheries production, processing and marketing; 
(ix) 
provide advisory services and technical assistance on the 
improvement of quality of fish from the time it is caught; 
(x) 
coordinate 
efforts 
relating 
to 
fishery 
production 
undertaken by the primary fishery producers, I-GUS, 
FARMCs, fishery and organizations/ cooperatives; 
(xi) 
advise and coordinate with LGUs on the maintenance of 
proper sanitation and hygienic practices in fish markets and 
fish landing areas; 
(xii)establish a corps of specialist in collaboration with the 
Department of National Defense, Department of the Interior 
and Local Government; Department of Foreign Affairs for the 
efficient monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing 


activities within Philippine territorial waters and provide the 
necessary facilities, equipment and training therefor; 
(xiii) implement an inspection system for import and expat of 
fishery/ aquatic products and fish processing establishments, 
consistent with international standards to ensure product 
quality and safety; 
(xiv) coordinate with LGUs and other concerned agencies for 
the establishment of productivity enhancing and market 
development programs in fishing communities to enable 
women to engage in other fisheries/ economic activities and 
contribute significantly to development efforts; 
(xv) enforce ail laws, formulate and enforce ail rules and 
regulations governing the conservation and management of 
fishery resources, except in municipal waters, and to settle 
conflicts of resource use and allocation in consultation with 
the NFARMC, LGUs and local FARMCs; 
(xvi) receive, take and hold by bequest, device, gift, purchase 
or lease either absolutely or in trust for any of its purposes 
from foreign and domestic sources, any asset, grant or 
property, real or personal, subject to such limitations as are 
provided under existing laws and regulations; 
(xvii) exercise oversight function, coordinate, monitor and 
evaluate the policies and programs of all its attached agencies; 
(xviii) monitor local and government compliance with housing 
and urban development laws, standards, and guidelines, as 
well with their judicious and fair application of local fisheries 
and aquatic resource ordinances; 
(xix) effect and oversee regulatory system that govern all 
relative 
to 
the 
planning, 
production 
marketing, 
and 
management of fisheries and aquatic resources; 
(xx) develop value-added fishery-products for domestic 
consumption and export; 
(xxi) recommend measures for the protection/ enhancement 
of the fishery industries; 
(xxii) assist the LGUs in developing their technical capability 
in the development, management, regulation, conservation, 
and protection of the fishery resources; 
(xxiii)formulate rules and regulations for the conservation and 
management of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory 
fish stocks; and 


(xxiv) perform such other related functions which shall 
promote 
the 
development, 
conservation, 
management, 
protection and utilization of fisheries and aquatic resources. 
SECTION 6. STRUCTURE. The Department shall be composed of the 
Office of the Secretary, its administrative and immediate staffs, the Offices of the 
Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries with respect to their areas of 
responsibilities, and their respective staff, and other Offices directly supporting 
and attached to the Office of the Secretary. 
SECTION 7. QUALIFICATIONS AND APPOINTMENT – The Secretary and 
Undersecretaries shall be citizens and residents of the Philippines, of good moral 
character and of with proven competence and integrity. 
They shall all be appointed by the President of the republic of the 
Philippines. The Undersecretaries shall be career officers. 
SECTION 8. DEPARTMENT AND AGENCIES — The Department shall 
create, control, and sustain Bureaus: 
(a) Fisheries Resources Management Bureau 
(b) Licenses and Regulations Bureau 
(c) Fisheries Policy Industry Development Support Bureau 
(d) Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Bureau 
(e) Fisheries Research Bureau 
SECTION 9. EMPLOYMENT MATRIX - The development of the 
employment pattern shall be based on an assessment of the personnel 
requirements of the entire Department as recommended by the Secretary and as 
approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The 
compensation structure-of the positions in the employment pattern shall strictly 
conform to the prevailing Salary Standardization Law. 


SECTION 10. ABSORPTION OF THE STAFFING PATTERNS OF THE 
CONSOLIDATED AGENCIES. - The existing employees of the Bureau of Fisheries 
shall enjoy security of tenure and shall be absorbed by the Department in 
accordance with their staffing patterns and the selection process as prescribed 
under R.A. No. 6656 on the Rules on Government Reorganization. 
SECTION 11. TRANSFER OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES. — 
The following arrangements shall be implemented within six (6) 
months from the effectivity of this Act: 
a) 
The Department shall be subrogated to all the 
rights and assume all the assets, liabilities and funds, 
including any unexpended appropriation or allocation, 
as well as records, property, equipment and such 
necessary personnel of the BFAR; 
b) 
The Department shall cause the creation of 
additional 
positions 
and 
augment 
their 
budget 
appropriations as may be needed; and 
c) 
All contracts and liabilities of the BEAR are hereby 
transferred to and assumed by the Department and shall 
be acted upon in accordance with the relevant auditing 
procedures, laws, rules and regulations. 
SECTION 12. TRANSITORY PROVISION- Existing industries, businesses 
and offices affected by the implementation of this Act shall be given 
six (6) months transitory period from the effectivity of the IRR or such other 
period as may be determined, to comply with the requirements of this Act. 
SECTION 13. APPROPRIATIONS. — The amount necessary for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's 
appropriations of the BFAR. 


Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued 
implementation this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations 
Act (GAA). 
SECTION 14. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. - The 
departments and agencies charged with carrying out the provisions of this Act 
shall, within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, formulate the 
necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation. 
SECTION 15. REPEALING CLAUSE. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 16. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. - If, for any reason, any section 
or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or 
provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby. 
SECTION 17. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. - This Act shall take effect after 
fifteen (15) days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two 
(2) national newspapers of general circulation whichever comes earlier. 
Approved,