The Provincial Government of Batangas in collaboration with BFAR, DENR, DILG, PNP, Coast Guard, Tanggol Kalikasan, Taal Lake’s coastal LGUs, and local residents, on June 14, 2011 began dismantling a target of 1,300 illegal fish cages in Taal Lake and plans to clear the lake of all illegal fish cages by the end of June, 2011. Dismantling fish cages was done since 2008, there are about 8,000 fish cages, which through these operations, will be reduced further to its ideal number 0f 6,000 fish cages only.
The Provincial’s lenient actions and indulgence to the plea of fish cage owners finally ended due to the mounting apparent grounds. The Batangas governor gave in to the request of the concerned mayors through a memorandum of agreement, after the mayors of Talisay, Laurel, Agoncillo and San Nicolas, assisted by the League of Municipal Mayors of the Philippines-Batangas, appealed in behalf of local fish cage operators at the start of the clearing activities., operators of illegal fish cages were required to pay a bond of PhP10, 000 per fish cage for 60 day grace period. But illegal structures should have been voluntarily removed and dismantled out of the lake after given time. Failure to do so shall result to the bond forfeiture, and the automatic dismantling of subject fish cages. Part of the blame in the fish kill incidents is to operators’ failure to comply with standards set for building fish cages and allotting fingerlings per cage and to the enforcing Local official. Fish kill incidents though reported as 1 % only of the Business marked the begin of Governor Vilma Santos long time appeal to Local Government Units and lake shore Municipalities officials to regularize building of fish pen cages, clean up campaign and utilize the Taal lake for its rationale and eventually benefit more our local residents.
The task force is called Task Force Taal Lake and was divided into Four (4) task force dismantling teams and each team was assigned in Talisay, Laurel, Agoncillo and San Nicolas—the four towns most hit by the fish kill, incidents of milk fish and tilapia perished in the area due to overstocking.
On top of dismantling operation was Provincial Administrator Victor M. Reyes, together with CENRO Batangas chief Laudemir Salac and PENRO-Batangas head Oliver Viado; PG-ENRO’s Luis Awitan; Provincial Engineer Nerio Ronquillo, Jr.; PPOS- Security chief Col. David Quimio/ Col. Venus De Castro; Office of the Vice Governor chief of staff Henry Antig; PIO- Jing Segismundo; BFAR-’ Rose del Mundo; and Batangas PNP Information Officer Supt. Arcadio Ronquillo. Ground Commander was assigned for each team together with staffs from Provincial’s Legal Department, PG ENRO, PPDO, PIO, Engineering’s Office, District Hospitals, Military Personnel, Municipal Employees and Bantay Kalikasan Organization. Volunteers from Task Force Taal helped in additional to 20 to 30 hired people who were paid as dismantlers and to provide necessary manpower. Two Hundred Pesos (P200.00) per day in additional to free meal salary to each laborer.
Prior to actual operation the teams actually marked fish cages for dismantling. Owners of fish cages were properly informed of the upcoming operation and were asked to harvest their fishes in illegal cages. Self dismantling of their illegal fish cages were encouraged, the Provincial Government was firmed that all illegal fish cages will be dismantled and confiscated on the day of dismantling operation. On the first day, those abandoned and no registration were prioritized and pulled near the dock by patrol boats. Military teams accompanied each boat in case of owner resistance. Fish cages pulled by owners for self dismantling near their places were ensured take into pieces. Dismantled Bamboo cages materials were endowed to local residents as fire woods, while water drums and steels were properly accounted. Unclaimed materials were transported to Capitol of Batangas by Engineering Department. Those materials with value can still be retrieved by owners provided they would sign claim forms from Tanggol Kalikasan Attorney and our own Provincial legal staff. Through constant dialogues to cage owners and with their full understanding of Provincial motives, no resistance was reported and everybody evidently cooperated with the Taal Task Force. In the first day of dismantling, though had a little issue regarding staff, responsibilities, budget and food, with responsible Ground Commanders, the operation went well. No accident and casualties recorded in the operation, health personnel back up primarily served in constant checking of blood pressures and minor sickness of staff.
The Provincial’s lenient actions and indulgence to the plea of fish cage owners finally ended due to the mounting apparent grounds. The Batangas governor gave in to the request of the concerned mayors through a memorandum of agreement, after the mayors of Talisay, Laurel, Agoncillo and San Nicolas, assisted by the League of Municipal Mayors of the Philippines-Batangas, appealed in behalf of local fish cage operators at the start of the clearing activities., operators of illegal fish cages were required to pay a bond of PhP10, 000 per fish cage for 60 day grace period. But illegal structures should have been voluntarily removed and dismantled out of the lake after given time. Failure to do so shall result to the bond forfeiture, and the automatic dismantling of subject fish cages. Part of the blame in the fish kill incidents is to operators’ failure to comply with standards set for building fish cages and allotting fingerlings per cage and to the enforcing Local official. Fish kill incidents though reported as 1 % only of the Business marked the begin of Governor Vilma Santos long time appeal to Local Government Units and lake shore Municipalities officials to regularize building of fish pen cages, clean up campaign and utilize the Taal lake for its rationale and eventually benefit more our local residents.
The task force is called Task Force Taal Lake and was divided into Four (4) task force dismantling teams and each team was assigned in Talisay, Laurel, Agoncillo and San Nicolas—the four towns most hit by the fish kill, incidents of milk fish and tilapia perished in the area due to overstocking.
On top of dismantling operation was Provincial Administrator Victor M. Reyes, together with CENRO Batangas chief Laudemir Salac and PENRO-Batangas head Oliver Viado; PG-ENRO’s Luis Awitan; Provincial Engineer Nerio Ronquillo, Jr.; PPOS- Security chief Col. David Quimio/ Col. Venus De Castro; Office of the Vice Governor chief of staff Henry Antig; PIO- Jing Segismundo; BFAR-’ Rose del Mundo; and Batangas PNP Information Officer Supt. Arcadio Ronquillo. Ground Commander was assigned for each team together with staffs from Provincial’s Legal Department, PG ENRO, PPDO, PIO, Engineering’s Office, District Hospitals, Military Personnel, Municipal Employees and Bantay Kalikasan Organization. Volunteers from Task Force Taal helped in additional to 20 to 30 hired people who were paid as dismantlers and to provide necessary manpower. Two Hundred Pesos (P200.00) per day in additional to free meal salary to each laborer.
Prior to actual operation the teams actually marked fish cages for dismantling. Owners of fish cages were properly informed of the upcoming operation and were asked to harvest their fishes in illegal cages. Self dismantling of their illegal fish cages were encouraged, the Provincial Government was firmed that all illegal fish cages will be dismantled and confiscated on the day of dismantling operation. On the first day, those abandoned and no registration were prioritized and pulled near the dock by patrol boats. Military teams accompanied each boat in case of owner resistance. Fish cages pulled by owners for self dismantling near their places were ensured take into pieces. Dismantled Bamboo cages materials were endowed to local residents as fire woods, while water drums and steels were properly accounted. Unclaimed materials were transported to Capitol of Batangas by Engineering Department. Those materials with value can still be retrieved by owners provided they would sign claim forms from Tanggol Kalikasan Attorney and our own Provincial legal staff. Through constant dialogues to cage owners and with their full understanding of Provincial motives, no resistance was reported and everybody evidently cooperated with the Taal Task Force. In the first day of dismantling, though had a little issue regarding staff, responsibilities, budget and food, with responsible Ground Commanders, the operation went well. No accident and casualties recorded in the operation, health personnel back up primarily served in constant checking of blood pressures and minor sickness of staff.
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