Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 33 4 3

Introduced by Representative MA. LUCILLE L. NAVA, M.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Bill had been filed on April 6, 2021 in the previous congress as House Bill 9174.It was referred
to the Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources on May 15, 2021. However, this
proposed measure did not materialize.

‘The 1987 Constitution provides that the “State shall protect the rights of subsistence of fishermen,
especially of local communities, to the preferential use of communal marine and fishing resources
both inland and offshore.”, Furthermore, the State shall “provide support to such fishermen through
appropriate technology and research, adequate financial, production and marketing assistance, and
other services.”

Guimaras Island has several fishing grounds rich in marine resources including the Guimaras Strait,
ilo Strait, Panay Gulf and the Visayan Sea. In fact, the fishing industry is a major contributor to
the provincial economy and shows a strong potential for growth.

In 2020, the Province has a total production of 7,940.37 metric tons. The vast and rich marine
resources include high valued commodities such as prawn/shrimps, grouper, lobsters as well as
miilkfish. With the demand and the big potential of Guimaras for fish production, fisheries is one of
the economic drivers which could greatly boost the economy of the Province

Thus, this bill seeks to establish a municipal fish port with ice plant and cold storage facilityat
Barangay Cabalagnan, Municipalitf of Nueva Valencia, a traditional and strategically located fish
landing area. The fishport with ice plant and cold storage facility in the said barangay shall serve as
a main distribution center with efficient post-harvest facilities that meet the requirements of the
industry in terms of maintaining quality and volume of fishery products.

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

MA. LUCILLE L. NAVA, M.D.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

“3343

House Bill No.__

Introduced by Representative MA. LUCILLE L. NAVA, M.D.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A FISHPORT WITH ICE PLANT AND COLD STORAGE FACILITY IN
BARANGAY CABALAGNAN, MUNICIPALITY OF NUEVA VALENCIA, PROVINCE OF GUIMARAS,
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1.This Act shall be known as the “The Cabalagnan Fish Port Act”.

SECTION 2.There shall be established, under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture,
through the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority(PFDA), a fishport withice plant and cold
storage facility in Barangay Cabalagnan, Municipality of Nueva Valencia, Province of Guimaras.

SECTION 3,Within two (2) years after the construction of the fish port with ice plant and cold
storage facility, the PFDA, through a Memorandum of Agreement, shall transfer its management to
the local government unit concerned, It shall implement a training and phasing-in-program for the
local government unit personnel on the management and operation of the fishport with ice plant
and cold storage facility.

SECTION 4. The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department's programs the
establishment of the fishport withice plant and cold storage facility, the funding of which shall be
included in the General Appropriations Act. The local government unit concerned shall set aside
funds from any available local revenue the amounts necessary for the operation of the facility.

SECTION 5. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall
issue the rules and regulation on the supervision, monitoring and the transfer to the local
government unit concerned by the PFDA of the said fish port.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or
in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,