TUGUEGARAO CITY, March 12 (PIA) — The Regional Development Council (RDC) and the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Region 2 have passed recently a joint resolution requesting the Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to help address poaching problem in the bodies of water covering the Island of Batanes and Cagayan provinces.

The resolution seeks consideration and support of the law-enforcing agencies for the deployment of additional manpower of the navy as well as the PCG here, and training for the police officers of Batanes who will be involved in the enforcement of maritime laws.

RPOC chair Quirino Gov. Junie Cua and RDC acting chair NEDA regional director Mary Anne Darauay both laid in their resolution the emerging problem on illegal fishing by big fishing vessels from other neighboring countries in north and the south.

The resolution was formalized after the report of Batanes Governor Vicente Gato that poaching is number one concern of the province in which men of the PCG and PN as well as the PNP assigned in the area lack of equipment to enforce strictly the laws on the protection and preservation of the country’s marine resources.

With this, Cagayan Valley region officials are hopeful to address the problems as marine environment is one amongst main source of food and livelihood of the Cagayano and Ivatan people.

On the other hand, members of the Regional Law Enforcers Council (RLECC) also joined in the crafting of the Fishery Law Enforcement Manual of Operations (FLEMOP) which will strengthen the enforcement of the law against poaching.