Iloilo Fifth District Representative Raul “Boboy” Tupas sees the need to review the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 or Republic Act No. 8550 to streghthen the protection of small fishermen’s livelihoods.
This amid the recent decision of the Supreme Court (SC) First Division allowing commercial fishing vessels to operate within the 15-kilometer municipal water zone.
Tupas was saddened by the high court’s ruling, saying that the presence of commercial fishers in municipal waters would severely impact the livelihoods of small-scale fishers.
“Apektado gid ang aton marginalized fisherfolk kon magsige ang ining desisyon,” he said in a radio interview on Monday, Feb. 3, noting that the province of Iloilo has 19 coastal municipalities and seven of which are in the Fifth District.
“Kon sudlon pa gid sang mga commercial fishing vessel ang municipal waters, halos wala na gid sang mabilin para sa aton mga ordinaryo nga mangingisda,” the Ilonggo lawmaker lamented.
According to Tupas, there’s a proposed resolution seeking to conduct a legislative inquiry into the commercial fishing in municipal waters.
“Kon madayon ini, matinguha gid kita nga mapalab-ot ang matuod-tuod nga sentimyento [of small fishers] kay ara gid na sa konstitusyon nga proteksyunan ang marginalized fisherfolk nga nagadepend lang sa municipal waters sang ila livelihoods,” he said.
“May review man nga pagahimuon sa Fisheries Code. Didto tan-awon ta kon may mga grey area nga basi ma-amend ta na gid lang para matagaan ta sang premium kag daku nga proteksyon ang mga mangingisda ta,” Tupas further said.
Recently, Provincial Board member Binky Tupas, the congressman’s wife, passed a resolution expressing strong opposition to the SC’s ruling upholding a Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision that declares the Fisheries Code’s preferential access provisions unconstitutional.
