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Villar to Manalo: How can you help fishermen in the West Philippine Sea?: Sen. Cynthia Villar seeks assurance that the welfare of Filipinos fishing in the West Philippine Sea is included in the country’s foreign policy during the Commission on Appointment’s committee deliberation on the appointment of Foreign Affairs Sec. Luis Enrique Manalo Wednesday, August 31, 2022. Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, asked Manalo what are the steps that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) would be taking to help fishermen in the disputed area. Manalo said that in coordination with other agencies, DFA will make sure the Filipino fishermen’s “livelihood is increased and maintained.” He said DFA makes sure it has “some form of fishery cooperation and whenever our fishermen have been intimidated by anything, by any other foreign country, we have made approaches to make sure that our fishermen are not interrupted or prevented from attaining their livelihood." (Albert Calvelo/ Senate PRIB)