PH allots P2.5B to acquire more floating assets in WPS— BFAR
By Jel Santos
The government has allocated around P2.5 billion to purchase new floating assets to increase the government’s presence and accompany Filipino fishers in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), an official of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) bared on Monday, Feb. 12.
Over the years, Filipino fishers have complained about the hostility of foreign vessels in the disputed territory.
BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera said the government will buy monitoring control and surveillance (MCS) patrol vessels, food boats, and ships this year.
“Nasa P2.5 billion pesos po ito ang inilaan natin sa pagbili natin ng mga bagong floating assets. Para rin po ito sa ating mga mangingisda na mayroon pong platform ang pamahalaan, para mas maipaabot pa sa kanila iyong tulong ng pamahalaan at makita nila iyong presensiya ng pamahalaan doon po sa West Philippine Sea, so kailangan po natin magdagdag ng mga floating assets (We have allotted P2.5 billion for the procurement of new floating assets. This is also for fisherfolk, a flatform for the government to aid them, and for them to feel our government’s presence in the West Philippine SEA, that’s why we have to add new floating assets),” he said during a televised interview at state-controlled PTV 4.
Meanwhile, Briguera said around 90 percent of the 385,300 fisherfolk in the vicinity of the WPS have benefitted from the government’s “LAYAG WPS” project or ‘LAYAG West Philippine Sea’ which stands for Livelihood Activities to Enhance Fisheries Yield and Economic Gains from WPS.
Launched by BFAR, LAYAG WPS seeks to further more livelihood opportunities for fisherfolk living.
The agency said the nearly 400,000 fisherfolk benefitting the said project are hailing from Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and Romblon (MIMAROPA), Region I, Region III, and the National Capital Region (NCR). BFAR noted that these regions are within the vicinity of the WPS.
“Siguro, mga nasa 90 percent na ng bilang na ito ay tuluy-tuloy naman na binibigyan natin ng tulong ‘no, ng suporta, in fact iyong livelihood intervention kasi natin ay that’s part of the regular program naman ng ahensiya ‘no (Around 90 percent of the fisherfolk within the WPS vicinity have been provided with constant assistance under the LAYAG WPS program, in fact, its livelihood intervention is part of our agency’s regular program),” said the BFAR spokesperson.
In July 2016, China’s nine-dash line claims in the South China Sea were rejected by an arbitral tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The case was brought by the Philippines based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
It can be recalled that Filipino fisherfolk have cried foul over the alleged harassment they have experienced from foreign vessels while they were fishing in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough in 2021.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that a China Coast Guard ship (CCG) directed a military-grade laser light at a PCG vessel in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, West Philippine Sea on Feb. 6, 2023.
In December 2023, a CCG ship fired water cannon at Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels that were delivering supplies to fisherfolk communities in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough/Panatag Shoal).