DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte has commissioned the newly-acquired floating assets of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) that will operate in offshore areas and high seas to combat poaching, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The two floating assets – BRP Lapu-Lapu and BRP Francisco Dagohoy — are made by Filipino shipbuilders at P250 million each. If bought abroad, each ship is pegged at P750 million, thus, the government saved P1 billion.
Duterte said the commissioning of the BRP Lapu-Lapu and BRP Francisco Dagohoy will strengthen the government’s programs against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) and to intensify fisheries law enforcement operations.
“Our activities today are proof of the government’s resolve to empower and protect our country’s farmers and fisherfolk,” Duterte said in his speech during the commissioning ceremony in Sasa Wharf, this city.
The BRP Lapu-Lapu and BRP Francisco Dagohoy are multi-mission vessels which will operate to transport food to places anywhere in the Philippines in times of hunger and famine and for rescue in times of disaster.
They will also be utilized for research and survey operations, livelihood support to far-flung island coastal communities.
Lapu-Lapu and Dagohoy are two known Visayans who fought against the Spanish invasion and Spanish colonial government.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol has proposed to President Duterte to build two multi-mission vessels each year starting 2019 so that by the end of the Duterte’s term there will be 10 vessels.
Currently, DA-BFAR has 16 vessels which safeguard the country’s fishing grounds. According to Pinol, the Philippine loses USD33 billion from poaching every year.
He said the number of losses will decrease as the government strengthens and effectively monitor the country’s fishing grounds now with new floating assets.
He also said that the country incurs 40 percent losses in fish production due to poaching and illegal fishing.
Pinol said the BRP Lapu-Lapu and BRP Francisco Dagohoy are additions to the existing floating assets of DA-BFAR.
The vessels and their superstructure are built to withstand 24-hour continuous, multi-purpose operations and capable of remaining on station for 30 days. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
