Rep. Alan Ecleo of Dinagat Islands welcomed the enactment of Republic Act 11736 that establishes a Multispecies Marine Hatchery in the Municipality of Basilisa, Province of Dinagat Islands.
“President Duterte has once again shown that he is still not finished creating meaningful change for the country, especially the People of Dinagat Islands,” Ecleo, the principal author of RA 11736, said
“This will certainly aid in the recovery of our economy as we build back from the devastation of Typhoon Odette and the economic impact of the COVID19 pandemic,” he added.
RA 11736 was among the several measures filed on marine hatchery that was enacted on April 27, 2022.
“Our vision is to make the Marine Hatchery and Fish Farming an economic centerpiece which would provide consistent income among the fishermen of Dinagat Islands, helping eradicate poverty in the Province of Dinagat Islands,” Ecleo, who was re-elected as representative of Dinagat Islands’ lone district after a landslide victory, stressed.
“We plan to develop the entire fsheries value chain in Dinagat so we could be a leading producer of high-value, fresh, processed fish in the Philippines and abroad.”
RA 11736 shall fund the construction of a Multispecies Marine Hatchery and transfer its management from the BFAR-DA to the Municipality of Basilisa after two years. During such time, the BFAR-DA will implement a training and phasing-in program for the personnel of the local government unit concerned on the management and operation of the multispecies marine hatchery.
He also thanked his fellow legislators led by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and House Majority Leader and 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez, as well as Sen. Cynthia Villar for supporting the bill.
“This law is a product of the relentless support of Dinagatnons, who have graciously entrusted to me again the privilege of being their Representative for one more term, as well as the support of our fellow legislators Sen. Cynthia Villar, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and our colleagues from LAKAS-CMD, led in the House by Rep. Martin Romualdez,” Ecleo said.
“This also could not have been possible without the help of BFAR under Cmdre. Eduardo Gongona, its Provincial and Regional counterparts, and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) who provided us with their technical expertise in crafting this law,” he added.