Newly appointed BFAR chief Elizer S. Salilig (right) taking his oath of office. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan hopes the new Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) head will help improve the state of small-scale fisherfolk, especially during a crucial time.
Yamsuan, in a statement on Thursday, said he is optimistic about the appointment of BFAR Director Elizer Salilig, a career official with over 34 years of experience.
According to the lawmaker, who heads the House of Representatives’ committee on aquaculture and fisheries resources, said that he has seen Salilig’s “passion and dedication” over the years at BFAR.
“We certainly welcome the President’s appointment of Mr. Elizer Salilig as the new national director of BFAR. Director Salilig’s vast institutional memory and experience, especially when it comes to improving the plight of poor fishing communities, certainly assures us that with him at the helm, BFAR would be able to expand and enhance its programs to support our beleaguered fisherfolk and boost our food security,” he said.
Salilig started as a fishery technician for the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Soccsksargen, before moving on to become the regional director of BFAR’s Mimaropa office.
The new BFAR chief, who took his oath before Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel last January 24, also made a courtesy call on Yamsuan on Wednesday.
Yamsuan said Salilig’s appointment comes at a time when small fisherfolk are at risk after a Supreme Court (SC) decision allowed commercial fishing companies to have access to municipal waters.
The SC decision stemmed from a case involving the Mercidar Fishing Corp. petition on the issue of allowing commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal water zone.
The Malabon Regional Trial Court ruled in favor of Mercidar, while the SC upheld the lower court’s ruling.
BFAR recently came out with a statement, saying that they are pushing for the reversal of the SC decision, as it has impacted the livelihood of small fisherfolk and the amount of marine resources available.