Probe sought on illegal fish cages at Hundred Islands

ALAMINOS CITY, Philippines  – First district Rep. Jesus Celeste, together with five other Pangasinan lawmakers, filed a House resolution last Wednesday seeking an inquiry into the illegal construction of dikes and other fish structures at the world-famous Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) in this city.

Aside from Celeste, the signatories of House Resolution 715 are Leopoldo Bataoil, Ma. Rachel Arenas, Ma. Georgina de Venecia, Carmen Cojuangco, and Marlyn Primicias-Agabas of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth congressional districts, respectively.

The resolution directs the House committees on natural resources, ecology, tourism, and aquaculture and fisheries resources to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the alleged illegal fish structures at the HINP.

The Hundred Islands is known as a marine and aquatic sanctuary, and thus the establishment of the Hundred Islands National Park Reservation under Proclamation 667 on Jan. 18, 1940.

The HINP, according to the House resolution, is a protected area and a natural heritage considered as one of the world’s wonders.

“The destruction of this marine sanctuary, any degradation such as construction of fish cages, fencing, illegal fishing infrastructure in the waters included in the Hundred Islands National Park are prohibited by law,” the resolution stated.

The lawmakers cited verified reports that fish cages and other illegal fish structures exist in the national park.

Told about the proposed congressional inquiry, Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza told The STAR in a text message: “I said it before that we welcome any investigation to clear this matter.”

“We have nothing to hide and my only interest as mayor is for the protection and rehabilitation of the Hundred Islands National Park and the full development of the tourism industry in Alaminos in particular and the province in general,” he added.