A new government department is needed to manage and conserve ocean resources, which is too big a job for the agriculture-focused agencies currently tasked with protecting the country’s seas, experts said. “UPMSI (UP Marine Science Institute) was pushing for the Department Oceans and Fisheries kasi (because) … the seas are the biggest ecosystem. We think that the seas need their own department… hindi lang s’ya (it should not just be) part ng (of) agriculture. The ocean itself should be taken care of as a unit, so probably by putting more resources then we can augment ’yung kakulangan (the gap),” Deo Florence L. Onda, deputy director for research of UPMSI, said at a briefing in Quezon City on Wednesday. Currently, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is responsible for the development, improvement, management, and conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources.

Galang, V. M. P. (2019, July 4). Ocean conservation effort warrants new gov't department, experts say. BusinessWorld, p. S1/4.