Subic, Zambales – A total of 400 fishermen from three towns of Zambales received financial assistance from Senator Francis Tolentino during his visit on Monday June 17, 2024.
Tolentino went to the town of Sta. Cruz as part of the Zambales leg of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Payout where 121 fisherfolks from the Burador Fisherman’s Association (BUFFA) were given P3,000 each.
Then he went to Masinloc town to distribute the same amount of P3,000 each to 248 fisherfolk members of the Masinloc Fishermen’s Cooperative (MAFISCO) and lastly he then proceeded to the town of Subic and distributed P3,000 each to the 47 fisherfolk members of the Subic Commercial Fisher’s Association (SCOFAI) at the Waltermart mall.
The senator reiterated that the tension at the West Philippine Sea has gravely affected the country, citing that there is a need to put up archipelagic boundaries in the said area. “Kumbaga, ang batas na ito ang naglalagay ng gate sa ating mga bakuran para malaya tayong makagalaw, makapangisda at madiskubre kung ano pang oportunidad at yamang dagat ang nasa mga lugar na atin,” he added.
According to the senator, He and other senators have already filed the Senate Bill No. 2665 or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act. Authored by Tolentino, Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Jinggoy Estrada, Sherwin Gatchalian, Raffy Tulfo and Bato Dela Rosa, the bill aims to establish a system of sea lanes in the Philippine waters. “Kumbaga sa kalsada, nilalagyan nito ng linya ang mga daanan sa ating mga karagatan, pati mga obligasyon at pananagutan ng mga daraan na sasakyan pandagat at maging mga eroplano na lumilipad sa mga lugar na sakop ng ating archipelagic sea lanes,” he said.
He also cited that the sea lanes are needed to ensure the security of the country, the right to enforce the country’s own territorial rules and regulations, and to freely fish and maintain the sea’s resources.