Lt. Gen. Jose C. Faustino, Jr., PA of the Eastern Mindanao Command expressed his gratitude to the Bureau for positively responding to the request and for being a staunch partner of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Davao Region.

Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao and Joint Task Force SEAHAWK Commander, Commodore Antonio C. Palces, PN acknowledged BFAR XI as a committed partner in law enforcement as it has been providing trainings to Navy personnel for the past few years.

According to BFAR XI Director Alfeo G. Piloton, the fight for the protection of the fisheries and aquatic resources and the empowerment of our stakeholders are far from over. But this simple turn over ceremony of the motorized banca is just one of the many programs that BFAR will roll out to protect and preserve the aquatic resources in Davao gulf and in the territorial waters of Davao Region.

Dir. Piloton said that through the years, BFAR XI and its partner law enforcement agencies have been dealing with a huge number of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities in the region. With the turn over of these boats, it is expected that more areas can be guarded and covered, and the gap will be even narrowed.

The ceremony was then followed by a blessing led by the naval chaplain. BFAR and AFP top officials and Navy personnel offered their solemn prayers for the safe and successful operations of the boats as they take missions as Navy’s assets.

“We [have] witnessed how a community of interest bound by a singleness of purpose can come together in service for the country and the Filipino people,” Dir. Piloton said. (IEC)