FORMER senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan yesterday said he would push for the creation of a Department of Fisheries to further develop the aquaculture and fisheries sectors in the country.
In a phone patch radio interview, Pangilinan said the government needs to focus on the aquaculture and fisheries sectors and provide additional budget to fisherfolks and aqua farmers to address financing gaps.
He noted that most communities rely on the fishing and aquaculture sector since the Philippines is composed of 80 percent water and only 20 percent land.
“Mahalaga dahil kinakailangan tutukan ang fisheries and aquamarine resources natin. Mas malaki ng 80 percent (ang tubig), 80 percent ng ating teritoryo ay karagatan o tubig at 20 porsyento lang ang lupa pero kulang ang suporta sa ating fisheries, kulang ang suporta at budget para sa aquaculture na malaking paraan para dagdag na kita at dagdag na pagkain sa ating mga kababayan at ng seafood, isda, at iba pang aquaculture products (It is important that we train our sights on our fisheries and aquamarines resources since 80 percent of our territory is water, while only 20 percent is land, and yet our fisheries sector lacks support. We need to increase their budget so that these sectors will be developed and so that the earnings of our aqua farmers will also increase),” Pangilinan said.
The former senator said the Philippines can be a fisheries powerhouse of the world because it is the center of the “most diverse marine ecosystem in the planet” if the sector gets much-needed government boost.
If he wins in the May 2025 polls, Pangilinan promised to renew his push for the creation of a Department of Fisheries. Currently, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is under the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Despite running an independent campaign, Pangilinan has
