Peoples Journal, Apr. 2, 2019, Bfar Chief Hit Over Warning To Fishers.pdf

BFAR chief hit oveJ wariring to fishers By Ryan Ponce Pacpaco ANAKPAWIS party-list Rep. Ariet .,Ka Ayik,, Casilao has slamrned the warning of Bureau of Fisheriee and Aquatic Reforms (BFAR) Director Eduardo Gongona to Filipino litermen to avoid panatag Shoal as

it ie occupied by Chhece

veeeels.

"Gongona iust slapped his own face wjth his statement. Aside from obGously a surrenderee on the claim of our counhy's waters, he is outrightly viotatins the mandate of his om office," said Cisilab, BFAR as oeared by Presidential Decree ( pD) No. 4d1 and reconstituted by Republic Act 8550 Fisieries Code of I99E is mandated to enforce all laws, formulate and enforce + rules and regulations goveming the conserva-

qon and rnanagement ot fishery resources. The Fisheries Code covels "all Philippine w a ters including other wa ters over which the Philipphes has sovereignty and jurisdiction, and the counfrr's 20Gnautical mtre fxcl,r-

sive Economic Zone (EEZiand continental sheu.,. lts policiesas objectives a.lso include ,,conserva ti on, protectionand sustained managementof the country,s hshew and aquatic resouces;" and ,,poverty alleviation ani

the. provision_of supplemen tary livelih ood atnong municipal fisherfolk. " "Gongona jwtblabbered aboutnot to execu te phil-

ippine laws in Panatag Shoal. Ane hispit nila sa mea Pilipinong mangingisila sa pagpap-a tu"pi d ng Fisheri6s code, pero sa da)ruhang Chinese, inu til sila/' the law-

maker said. He added the BFAR's current leadershio also abandoned ils office's earlier claim in 2015 tiat Chit ".. reclamation projects in the West Philippine Sea caused the P4.8 billion economic loss for Lhe iountry. Former

BFARDirectorAsisPerezsaidthatthewestFh ippine

S€a accounts

for 267o of the country's fishing groiLhas.

Around 1a200 fishermen froni nangasir",ir, Zam-

bales, Bataan; and Palawan are known io rish tirere. "So we dare Director Conqona to execute his mandate on Panatag Shoal, checlion the permits of those Chinese vessels,-hindina nga niyaginaga wa ang trabaho

ruya, prprguan pa.mydng magtayag ang ating mga

mangu)glscta, nd srla na nga lanq ane naetatanssol ns te4loryonagn sa West Phnl ppin;Sea;d alil nsa;u"ulurrE silbiang llrmed Forces of thbi'hili ppines kon6o pananY akop ng-China," said Casilao. ' '

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