The creation of a separate fisheries department will propel the growth of the industry and make the Philippines one of the world’s aquaculture powerhouse. Senator Francis Pangilinan has refiled Senate Bill 32 calling for the creation of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) emphasizing that oceans and seas make up 80 percent of the country’s territory and produce 4.31 million metric tons of fisheries worth P243.9 billion. The proposed measure stressed the need to have an agency that will look after the welfare of the country’s 1.6 million Filipinos who depend on fisheries and aquaculture for livelihood, as well as oversee the country’s 2.2 million square kilometers of territorial waters.

Simeon, L. M. (2019, August 5). Fisheries dep't needed to make local aquaculture a powerhouse. The Philippine Star, p. B12.