Fisheries cmte quizzes APOO on ₱1.4-M program for Bonbon fisherfolk

THE Committee on Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, chaired by Minority Floor Leader Councilor Christian Rustico Achas, deliberated the utilization of the ₱1.4 million fund paid by DITO Telecommunity Corporation allocated for coral reef rehabilitation in Barangay Bonbon.

City Agriculturist Paterno Gonzales explained that the payment was treated as part of the city’s General Fund rather than a trust fund dedicated solely to Barangay Bonbon. If it were in a trust fund, the allocation would be specific and immediate for its intended purpose, Gonzales further noted.

He emphasized that the city government, through the Agricultural Productivity and Operations Office (APOO), already started its restoration project of the 100-square meter marine ecosystem damaged by the installation of DITO’s submarine fiber optic cable as it is incorporated in its coastal resource management program.

Other barangays such as those in Bayabas, Cugman, and Puerto will benefit from the program, Gonzales stated.

This sparked the curiosity of the members of the committee as they recalled that the City Council passed Ordinance No. 14704-2024 on January 29 last year which explicitly stipulates that the said amount is intended for the restoration project in Barangay Bonbon alone.

Councilor Jerome Sambaan, fisheries committee chair of Barangay Bonbon Council, said that while the fisherfolk association in their barangay understood that the budget is to be used for preservation purposes rather than livelihood, they have not been consulted if it will be shared to other barangays.

Atty. Ethel T. Llenas of the City Legal Office explained that APOO is bound to the terms, conditions, and whereas clauses of the said ordinance.

For her part, Councilor Imee Rose P. Moreno suggested that funds be used effectively to benefit the fisherfolk of Bonbon.

"While I am not against extending help to other barangays, the fisherfolk of Bonbon must be given the authority to decide how the budget should be used," she said.

Moreno added that the barangay be actively involved in the planning and consultation process to ensure proper allocation and disbursement.

With this, Councilor Achas urged APOO to use the funds as intended and invited Mr. Gonzales for another round of meeting in three weeks’ time to provide the committee with a detailed program to discuss the next steps to take.