Duterte assigns 2 vessels to BFAR

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY—President Duterte on Thursday commissioned two government vessels for the use of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) against illegal poaching and other unlawful activities against the country’s marine resources.

The vessels, BRP Lapu-Lapu and BRP Francisco Dagohoy, were commissioned at the Sasa Wharf here.

The vessels had cost the government P250 million each, according to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

“It would have cost us more if we bought it abroad,” Piñol added.

He said foreign-produced vessels of such type would have cost the government about P750 million each.

The sea vessels, which were 50.5 meters long each, were produced by the Navotas-based Josefa Slipways using welded high tensile AH36 steel.

These were equipped with twin fix-pitch propellers, twin rudders, twin independent electro-hydraulic steering gears, and electric-driven bow thrusters.

“It can withstand 24 hours of continuous multi-purpose operations,” Piñol told reporters.  Frinston Lim INQ