Solon files bill creating DFAR

Pwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat party-list Rep. Harold James Duterte filed House Bill No. 2065 on Thursday, July 17, proposing the creation of a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) to help improve the country's fisheries sector.

- By IVY TEJANO

In its explanatory note, the proposed measure outlines the establishment of a new executive department that would replace the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), currently under the Department of Agriculture.

Rep. Harold said the DFAR would serve as the lead agency in crafting policies, implementing programs, and regulating fisheries and aquatic resource management activities in the Philippines.

HB 2065 was coauthored by Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte and second district Rep. Omar Duterte, signaling strong support from the Davao bloc in Congress.

The bill represents a unified effort to address the longstanding challenges coastal communities face and promote sustainable practices in the country's waters.