Talisay strengthens measure to protect Lagundi Reef

CEBU, Philippines —  The Talisay City government reinforces its existing measure that protects and conserves its Lagundi Reef Marine Sanctuary in Barangay Poblacion.

Through an ordinance, the City Council drafted an amendment to an old measure, particularly City Ordinance No. 2006-04, “an ordinance regulating the activities within the Lagundi Reef Marine Sanctuary...”

The new measure or City Ordinance No. 93, supported through a resolution, seeks to make more “effective and appropriate” the managing body and enforcement team looking after the Lagundi Reef.

Under the amended ordinance approved on January 29, the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (C-FARMC) will now have the shared control together with the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) with regard to planning, administration and management of the marine sanctuary, thus the creation of a special management body.

C-FARMC will be under the supervision of the city mayor, through CENRO.

Moreover, an advisory group, which will be under the umbrella of C-FARMC, should also be formed whose primary task is to provide technical input and other advice for the management of the sanctuary.

The composition of which has to be laid down through an executive order of the city mayor upon the recommendation of the C-FARMC, which also has to author its own resolution.

Earlier, the City Council found it necessary to amend the old ordinance (City Ordinance 2006-04) because it “runs opposite” to the spirit of City Ordinance 2006-01 or the Talisay City Fisheries Code; and Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

RA 8550 was recently amended by RA 10654, which stipulated for the mandatory creation of the municipal or city FARMC in every coastal local government unit.

FARMC serves as the overall body authorized and mandated to oversee fishery concerns.

According to the amended measure, the C-FARMC, the Bantay Dagat, and among other cause-oriented organizations, including the deployed policemen and trained barangay tanods, will be deputized to enforce the ordinance and the other relative national laws and local policies.

With the deputation powers of the city mayor, they will be tasked to apprehend violators and issue citation tickets. — MBG (FREEMAN)