The lawmakers on Tuesday raised the need to boost the government's assistance to Filipino fishermen, particularly those fishing in the West Philippine Sea.

During the budget briefing of the Department of Agriculture and attached agencies, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said it needs at least a P450 million budget for 2024 for the acquisition of additional monitoring, control, and surveillance or MCS patrol vessels to help the fisherfolks in the WPS.

The BFAR will get P7.872 billion out of the DA's total proposed national expenditure program amounting to P167.45 billion for next year.

BFAR director Demosthenes Escoto said the bureau is eyeing for re-fleeting of these "old patrol vessels."

"In fact, they were procured more than 15 years ago. Some are actually being repaired and some are not ready for sea," he said.

Escoto said they are proposing to purchase at least three MCS patrol vessels—every other two years—in around 10 years so they can complete a new set.

Each MCS 50-meter vessel costs around P150 million to P200 million, he noted.

At the hearing, Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel IV said the BFAR has a critical role in protecting the country's exclusive economic zone as much as the Philippine Coast Guard.

"BFAR appears to be as critical as the Coast Guard even when it comes to our exclusive economic zones. What is the role of BFAR in monitoring, supervising, and regulating the use of our EEZ?," he said.

Escoto said the bureau has 12 MCS vessels presently supplying fuel to fishing vessels in West Philippine Sea areas.

"Currently your honor, all our MSAC patrol vessels are being utilized in tandem with the Coast Guard in regular patrolling in our territorial waters, including the West Philippine Sea," he said.

Escoto said the bureau is also empowering the fisherfolk in bringing back to their traditional fishing ground.

"Because it can be observed in the past years that our fisherfolks fishing in those areas were declined, so we encourage them and empower them and bring them back in their fishing ground," he added.

Recently, the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Command said it is working to increase the number of fishing boats and local fishermen within the features of WPS, including Scarborough Shoal, Rozul Reef, and Ayungin Shoal.

The Philippine authorities have been asserting the country's sovereign rights in its EEZ—countering Beijing's expansive claims on the South China Sea, which include the WPS features.

Previously, the AFP has noted the swarming of more than 400 foreign fishing vessels within the WPS, stressing that Filipino fishermen are more rightful to go fishing in the area.

Escoto said the BFAR is currently implementing its "Layag" program to encourage Filipino fishermen to go fishing in their traditional fishing ground in the WPS.

"In addition to that, we are working in tandem with our Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy in the country's regular patrol and other operations in the areas [of the] West Philippine Sea as well as in other coastal areas," he added.

Escoto explained that BFAR boats are also being utilized in the country's maritime patrols, especially in the WPS.

Hence, Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito rallied for additional funding dedicated to BFAR's re-fleeting program.

With Escoto's earlier explanation, Ejercito also underscored the crucial role of the BFAR in protecting the livelihood of Filipino fishermen in the WPS.

"I think it is very important. We cannot just let the militia vessels of China take advantage of our exclusive economic zone. I think our fishermen should be the ones taking advantage of the vast marine resources in the West Philippine Sea," he said.

Senator Francis Tolentino, on the other hand, urged the BFAR to also help the fishermen in upgrading their fishing equipment, on top of providing them with cash and food pack assistance.

Citing the recent boat ramming incident in the waters off Pangasinan, near Bajo de Masinloc in the WPS, Tolentino said the fishermen in the area also needed tracking devices to prevent a repeat of the fatal collision that killed three fishermen.

"Kasi bukod doon ang hinihingi nila, lalo na 'yong nagpapalaot sa malayo, kasi compass lang ginagamit nila e— kapag nakatali na sa payao, lalarga na 'yong mga maliliit na bangka, hindi na sila nagkikita-kita," he said.

Senator Cynthia Villar, who presided over the hearing, also backed Escoto's request for increased funding for BFAR next year.

Villar said that the P50 million confidential fund of the DA, under its proposed 2024 budget, could be reallocated to BFAR instead.

This could help BFAR to fund the purchase of MCS vessels for WPS deployment, she stressed.

"The confidential fund should be realigned to this to protect our fishermen so such a fund won't be questioned anymore. But then again, that is just P50 million," said Villar.