DAVAO CITY – Pwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat party-list Rep. Harold James Duterte filed House Bill No. 2065 on Thursday, July 17, proposing the creation of a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) to help improve the country’s fisheries sector.
In its explanatory note, the proposed measure outlines the establishment of a new executive department that would replace the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), currently under the Department of Agriculture.
Rep. Harold said the DFAR would serve as the lead agency in crafting policies, implementing programs, and regulating fisheries and aquatic resource management activities in the Philippines.
House Bill 2065 was co-authored by Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte and second district Rep. Omar Duterte, signaling strong support from the Davao bloc in Congress.
The bill represents a unified effort to address the long-standing challenges coastal communities face and promote sustainable practices in the country’s waters.
“Creating the DFAR is about giving fisheries the attention they truly deserve. Our fisherfolk deserve a department that will fight for their welfare, protect their livelihood, and preserve our marine resources for generations,” Rep. Harold said.
Despite contributing P269.64 billion to the national economy in 2022 – accounting for 12.82 percent of the gross domestic product – the fisheries sector remains one of the Philippines’ most underrepresented and impoverished sectors.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), fisherfolk recorded the highest poverty incidence among all basic sectors in 2022, with 30.6 percent living below the poverty line.
The BFAR’s Fisherfolk Registration System (FishR) lists 2.3 million registered fisherfolk as of 2022. However, experts believe the number could be far higher, citing limited access to registration services in isolated and underserved areas.
Rep. Harold said one of the key goals of the proposed DFAR is to eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies by centralizing functions currently scattered across various agencies.
The proponents hope the new department will strengthen environmental stewardship and enhance the sustainability of marine and inland aquatic resources.
“This measure is just the beginning. We are here to ensure that those who brave the seas to feed our nation are finally heard and represented where it matters – in Congress,” the PPP representative said.
Rep. Harold emphasized that the bill fulfills a campaign promise to empower marginalized fishing communities, a cause central to the party-list’s platform.
According to Dutertes, two additional fisheries development and resilience bills are expected to be filed in the coming weeks.
The push for a dedicated fisheries department arrives amid growing national concern over rural poverty and the degradation of marine ecosystems.
With the support of the Duterte family in Congress and mounting pressure to address long-standing inequities in the sector, House Bill 2065 is expected to gain traction in committee deliberations in the months ahead.