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Supporting BFAR's re-fleeting program: Sen. Joseph Victor "JV” Ejercito urges the government to fund the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' (BFAR) re-fleeting program to protect and support Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). During Tuesday’s hearing, October 17, 2023, of the Finance Subcommittee B on the proposed 2024 budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies, Ejercito stressed the importance of protecting and supporting the needs of Filipino fishermen in the area of 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,” Ejercito said. The senator also said that BFAR should be given additional fund to buy additional multi-mission and patrol vessels to further help the local fishermen. In response, BFAR Dir. Demosthenes Escoto said that at present, the bureau has four multi-mission vessels and 14 monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) patrol vessels being used to supply food, gasoline and rescue fishermen in time of calamities and other untoward incidents. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)