REP. Erico Aumentado (2 nd District, Bohol) announced Monday that he will file the bill to declare the Danajon Double Barrier Reef (DDBR) as a national heritage site and marine park. The solon made the revelation during his speech at the inauguration of the multi-species hatchery, a multi-million Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) project in Sinandigan, Ubay. Aumentado said the DDBR, the only one in Asia, deserves to be preserved and well-protected from illegal fishers and coral poachers because of its rich potential for food security and eco-tourism. The solon said from 1948 to 1952, when he was a crew member of the fishing outfit “new look” in the DDBR, the 273-square kilometre marine phenomenon was one, if not, the richest fishing grounds in the Philippines. He recalled that the usual catch consisted of the high class fish such as badlon, tangigue, mamsa and others. He lamented that today, the DDBR is being ravaged by illegal fishers using dynamite, trawl, palakaya, and cyanide, among others.
And worst, he said, the coral reefs are being destroyed by poachers, of which recently, some P3 million worth of corals from the Bohol seawaters were confiscated by the Cebu Task Force of Cebu Gov. Gwen Garia in Punta Engaño, Lapulapu City. He said there is a need to revive the Cebu-Leyte-Cebu-Southern Leyte (Celebosole) Growth Quadrangle for the four provinces to patrol jointly, protect and preserve the DDBR which is surrounded by the four provinces. He disclosed that the Celebosole component will be part of the provisions in the declaration of the DDBR Bill. He lauded Gov. Edgar Chatto for planning to follow his footsteps in organizing the Celebosole during the solon's first term as governor of Bohol. Aumentado also batted for a strong coastal law enforcement communication in the area especially that dynamite fishing is rampant in Talibon seawaters, and a danger to coral poaching. He recalled that he even requested P/Chief Supt. Ager Ontog, Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO) chief to send patrols to the DDBR and coordinate with PNP PRO-8 for joint police seaborne operations in the DDBR area.
The DDBR consists of the Caubian Outer Reef and the Calituban Inner Reef, both of which cover the seawaters in the provinces of Cebu, Leyte, Bohol and Southern Leyte. Aumentado lauded BFAR for the multi-species hatchery, reportedly the biggest in Region 7 and expressed the hope that the project can accelerate the development of mariculture in the province to strengthen President Aquino's food security abd eco-tourism program since the hatchery could draw group study tours coing from all over the Philippines, given the importance of fish hatcheries and controlled and cultured fish production. Aumentado requested Agriculture Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup who was the BFAR Multi Species Hatchery inauguration speaker, BFAR OIC National Director Gil Adora and BFAR Region 7 Director Andres Bojos for technical assistance in the crafting of the bill. The solon will meet with the BFAR legal team on May 9 when Congress will resume its session to ensure stronger legislation to prevent illegal fishing and coral poaching in DDBR. Ubay Mayor Eutiquio Bernales welcomed the guests during the affair while Bojos introduced Salacop.
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