Senator Francis "Tol" Tolentino calls out MARINA's difficult regulations for Filipino fisherfolks

Tolentino calls out MARINA's difficult regulations for Filipino fisherfolks
October 12, 2023 http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2023/1012_tolentino2.asp

MANILA — Senator Francis "Tol" Tolentino called out the difficult regulations of Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) for Filipino fishermen in securing fishing permit.

The Tolentino-led Senate Special Panel on Maritime and Admiralty Zones discovered on Thursday that Filipino fishermen who fail to comply with MARINA's certification requirements suffer from confiscation of fish harvests.

"Kawawa naman iyong mga mangingisda, kukunin lahat pati banyera dahil walang certificate," Sen. Tol said.

According to Michael An, one of the 11 fishermen who survived the fatal maritime collision near Bajo de Masinloc on October 2, fishermen are having a hard time to register their ships because of the inaccessibility of MARINA office, which is located in Manila.

With this, Tolentino told MARINA: "Dapat lumapit kayo sa mga mangingisda. Wala na tayong isda, nag-aangkat pa tayo ng isda, tapos kayo naman pinapahirapan ninyo yung mga mangingisda."

He added: "The root of all of these is the difficulty on securing a permit because you have no satellite offices."

Although MARINA Enforcement Service Officer Atty. Benedicto Manlapaz denied that such confiscations transpired.

"We are not condoning any of these things especially to our fishermen," Manlapaz remarked.

Tolentino urged the fishermen to file a formal report of such instances to the Senate Maritime Zones Committee for appropriate action.

MARINA likewise expressed its commitment to work closely with fisherfolks.