鈥�Walang maliit, walang malayo, lahat mahalaga so doon umiikot yung mga bills namin na fina-file doon sa advocacies ni Kaka,鈥� said Atty. Ariel Salamanes, CPA, Chief Legislative Officer from the Office of Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, underscoring the importance of ensuring that the voices of stakeholders are considered in policies that affect the fisheries sector.
This statement echoed the discussions during the National Sectoral Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (NSC-FA) Stakeholders鈥� Forum on Key Fisheries Legislative Measures, where government agencies, fisherfolk organizations, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders exchanged views and recommendations on proposed fisheries legislation. Organized by the 黑料网 and Tambuyog Development Center (TDC), the forum was held on 13 August 2026 in Quezon City.
Among the presentations was House Bill No. 5606, or the 鈥淎tin ang Kinse Kilometro Act,鈥� presented through a video message by Rep. Renee Louise Co of the KABATAAN Partylist. The measure aims to ensure fairness and safeguard the rights and livelihood of small-scale fishers by restoring and protecting the 15-kilometer municipal waters for them, prohibiting commercial fishing operations within municipal waters, and promoting equitable, ecosystem-based, and rights-based approach to the utilization and management of municipal fishery resources.
This brought to the fore the need for stakeholders to remain part of the policy-making process. With the recommendation of Dennis Calvan of RARE Philippines, the NSC on FA is set to endorse, through a special meeting, a policy resolution urging the DA-Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to conduct initial public stakeholder consultations before the Department鈥檚 administrative version of the proposed Fisheries Code amendments is submitted to Congress.
During the forum, the DA-Department Legislative Liaison Office (DLLO) confirmed that the draft administrative version incorporates inputs from initial stakeholder consultations and scientific discussions, particularly on municipal fisheries, and will be presented to stakeholders for further consultation, subject to the approval of the DA Secretary.
For NSC on FA Chairperson and TDC Executive Director Dinna Umengan, discussions on fisheries legislation are important given their potential implications for small-scale fisherfolk.
鈥�Ang dami po talagang issues at maraming stakeholders ang fisheries and aquaculture na ang isang malaking bahagi nito ay ang maliliit na mangingisda na maapektuhan鈥�hindi lang dahil sa pabago-bagong panahon kundi dahil din sa mga permanent decisions in legislations,鈥� Umengan said.
鈥沦辞 nilulugar po natin na isa sa mga unang na-schedule na polisiya [na talakayin] ay itong municipal water-related policy. Gusto po natin na, mula sa ating mga members ng committee on fisheries and aquaculture, kasama yung mga maliliit na mangingisda at NGOs, malaman ano ba yung status at ano yung laman ng mga proposals sa kongreso, at ano po yung stand din ng Department of Agriculture,鈥� she furthered.
Beyond the proposed consultation, stakeholders also put forward recommendations on the protection of municipal fisherfolk, particularly concerning the 15-kilometer municipal waters provision. They called for the issue to be supported by strong legal, scientific, and historical evidence, while also emphasizing the need to clarify the roles of local government units in municipal waters management.
They also recommended strengthening Fisherfolk Settlement Areas beyond housing to include livelihood, infrastructure, community development, and appropriate tourism opportunities. The forum likewise encouraged diversified livelihood opportunities, including aquaculture and other complementary economic activities, to address the seasonality and vulnerability of fishing-dependent communities.
The recommendations gathered during the forum will now move forward through the NSC on FA鈥檚 consolidation of the stakeholders鈥� positions on the fisheries-related measures discussed. These will be submitted to the DA for consideration and possible integration into the Department鈥檚 official position as legislative deliberations continue in Congress. | Joy Camille Luza
