The Regional Development Committee (RDC) XI endorsed the construction of the Mati Fish Port Project during its 3rd Quarter CY 2020 Regular Meeting on 16 September 2020.

The proposed Project, which involves the reclamation of a 5-hectare area within the Pujada Bay, seeks to (1) provide the fishermen, particularly those from the City of Mati and Province of Davao Oriental, with a terminal point for the unloading or loading of fish and other aquatic products; (2) centralize fish trading activities in an area with the proper business climate; (3) reduce spoilage through fast, systematic and sanitary practices; (4) develop and boost the fishing industry in the City of Mati; and (5) generate data in pursuance to the fisheries development plan of the national government.

The Pujada Bay was declared a marine protected area known as the Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape through Proclamation No. 431 on 31 July 1994 by President Fidel Ramos. Since the proposed Mati City Fish Port is to be located within the Pujada Bay, the said project must meet the requirements under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).

Moreover, Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) Administrative Order No. 2019-4 [“Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Executive Order (EO) No. 74 dated February 1, 2019, (s. 2019), repealing EO No. 798 (s. 2009) and EO No. 146 (s. 2013), Transferring the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) to the Office of the President (OP), Delegating to the PRA Governing Board the Power of the President to Approve Reclamation Projects, and or other purposes”] requires proponents of reclamation projects of 5 hectares or more to submit the following:

  1. Feasibility Studies and final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or equivalent studies;
  2. Area Clearance and Environmental Compliance Certificate;
  3. Hydrodynamic Modeling; and
  4. Detailed Engineering Design

The Council, considering its impact on the Region’s socio-economic development, endorsed the Proposed Mati Fish Port Project to the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), subject to the submission of all required documents as enumerated by the IDC XI.

####

Emil Clarito, NEDA XI

Photo by NEDA XI