Creation of Pampanga Bantay Dagat sought

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO –- Board Member Nestor Tolentino recently sought the creation of a Pampanga Bantay Dagat to empower the fishermen in various coastal towns in the province.

This came as a result of the recent consultation with village officials in Macabebe and Masantol towns.

Tolentino said that with the existence of a Pampanga Bantay Dagat task force, the fishing grounds in the province will be fully protected.

The board member clarified that in Macabebe town, a local bantay dagat group is actively operating to help assert the rights of the fishermen in the locality.

Recently, the Provincial Government headed by Governor Lilia Pineda and other local elected officials met with officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to settle some issues involving the formation of a Bantay Dagat in Pampanga.

Initially, according to Pineda, the BFAR pledged to provide at least four boats, which may be used by the group to enforce laws regulating the conduct of fishing within the municipal and provincial waters.

This initiative came as local fishermen appeared to be helpless as Bataan’s Bantay Dagat regularly arrests them for allegedly “straying” into the waters of the said province.

“Kawawa naman ‘yung mga fishermen natin. Lagi silang hinuhuli ng Bataan Bantay Dagat pero kapag sila naman ang pumapasok sa atin ay wala namang nanghuhuli sa kanila,” the governor said.

“Kailangan maglagay tayo ng marker para madali nating makita kung mayroong pumapasok sa ating provincial waters,” she added.

Twelve fishermen from Pampanga were earlier arrested and jailed by authorities of Samal, Bataan, for alleged illegal fishing. (Herbert P. Mapiles)