Stakeholders in the fisheries sector pushed for the institutionalization of the Bantay Dagat to effectively protect the municipal waters of coastal municipalities from further abuse and destruction. In a webinar on transdisciplinary policy dialogue series on coastal and ocean governance held on May 25, 2022, officials of the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Rare Inc. (Phils), and coastal municipalities recommended that the Bantay Dagat volunteers (also known as Deputy Sea Wardens or Sea Rangers) should not only be incentivized but also be institutionalized to give teeth to the enforcement of fishery laws.

Gallos, L. B. (2022, June 9). Fisheries stakeholders push for institutionalization of Bantay Dagat volunteers. Daily Guardian, pp. 2, 11.