A bill was filed in the lower house proposing benefits to sea wardens under the Bantay Dagat program of the government and further support to the Philippine Coast Guard and BFAR so they could better assist the sea wardens.
Rep. Reynante Arrogancia (Quezon, 3rd district) filed House Bill 2969 seeking to institutionalize the Bantay Dagat program and grants benefits to deputized fish or sea wardens.
Arrogancia's bill provides benefits that include hazard allowance (to be administratively determined) and PhilHealth coverage.
HB 2969 also creates a registry of sea wardens, sets their qualifications, and provides for PAO free legal assistance, preferential access to loans, and subsistence allowance.
“In my congressional district, there are thousands of fisherfolk. There are also a number of maritime schools in the district,” Arrogancia said.
He also proposed higher budget allocations for the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources so they could further modernize to provide our fishermen with sturdy fishing boats and high-tech equipped communications and GPS.
“PCG, BFAR, and PhilSA collaboration can directly help our fisherfolk also during storms and other bad weather out at sea,” Arrogancia said.
He noted that Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) microsatellites designed to track our fishing boats and monitor sea traffic are, I believe, appropriate space technology to serve real-world needs out at sea and on land.”
“We would be open to receiving and supporting budget requests from the concerned agencies,” the congressman said.
Tags: #HB2969, #seawardens, #bantaydagat, #PCG, #BFAR