DA allots P5 B for locally-made fishing vessels

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture is setting aside P5 billion in the next five years for the construction of Filipino-made offshore multi-mission vessels as part of efforts to guard the country’s coastal waters and improve marine productivity.

“We will build more ships, at least four more every year starting 2018 until 2022 to be able to run our fishing grounds,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said during the launch of the first two vessels in Navotas Thursday.

Each 50-meter offshore multi-mission vessel costs about P250 million.

Initially built as research ships, the vessels were modified into offshore multi-mission vessels due to the intensified campaign against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“We will continue what our predecessors started which I believe will contribute to greater productivity. We build on what is good,” Pinol said.

“The country is growing at a rate of 1.9 percent every year. We need to think of ways to feed the Filipinos. Our lands may not be able to sustain this that’s why we have to look at our oceans,” he added.

Constructing the vessels locally will save the government about P500 million per vessel as each ship will cost P750 million if built abroad.

“If we can develop our ship building industry, we will also provide a lot of jobs. And our purpose is to defend, protect and preserve our territorial waters particularly the West Philippine Sea and the Philippine Rise,” Pinol said.

Apart from law enforcement, the vessels will also be utilized for research and survey operations, and for livelihood support.

The initial two vessels, MMOV Lapu-Lapu and MMOV Francisco Dagohoy, are now undergoing finishing touches and will start operations in the next two months.

The blueprints were created by global ship designer Incat Crowther and built by Josefa Slipways Inc. of Navotas City.

To ensure that standards are met, all plans, drawings, and calculations conform to the rules, regulations, and requirements of Bureau Veritas, a world expert in testing, inspection, and certification services.

These will be added to BFAR’s existing 123 floating assets deployed to combat IUU fishing.