Republic Act No. 11401

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1

There shall be established, under the supervision of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture (BFAR-DA), a freshwater multispecies hatchery and research center, to be known as the Lanao del Norte Freshwater Aquaculture Center in the Municipality of Balo-i, Province of Lanao del Norte.

Section 2

The Lanao del Norte Freshwater Aquaculture Center and the BFAR-DA shall conduct continuing research and experimentation on the breeding and production of freshwater species, especially as they apply to local conditions, to discover new methods and technology that shall benefit the freshwater aquaculture industry.

Section 3

There shall be established a Local Advisory Council that shall provide policy direction for the Center and facilitate the exchange of information among the Center and the stakeholders. The Council shall be composed of the BFAR Director for Region 10 as Chairperson, the Governor of the Province of Lanao del Norte as Cochairperson, the President of the Municipal Mayors League of Lanao del Norte, the Mayor of the Municipality of Balo-i, and three (3) representatives from the local fisheries sector to be appointed by the Governor as members.

Section 4

The Center shall disperse fry and finger lings in public bodies of water in such intervals as may be recommended by the Local Advisory Council.

Section 5

The BFAR-DA shall transfer the management of the Center to the local government of the Municipality of Balo-i within two (2) years after its establishment through a memorandum of agreement. The BFAR-DA shall implement a training and phasing-in program for local government personnel on the management and operation of the Center.

Section 6

The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department’s programs the establishment of the Lanao del Norte Freshwater Aquaculture Center in the Municipality of Balo-i, Province of Lanao del Norte, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The local government of the Municipality of Balo-i shall set aside funds from any available local revenue in an amount deemed appropriate for the operationalization of the Center.

Section 7

Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue the rules and regulations on the breeding, propagation, and distribution of fries and fingerlings, the supervision, monitoring, and the eventual transfer of the Center to the local government of the Municipality of Balo-i.

Section 8

This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

(Sgd) VICENTE C. SOTTO, III President of the Senate

(Sgd) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines on May 28, 2018 and June 3, 2019, respectively.

(Sgd) MYRA MARIE D. VILLARICA Secretary of the Senate

(Sgd) DANTE ROBERTO P. MALING Acting Secretary General House of Representatives

(Sgd.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE President of the Philippines

Approved: August 22, 2019.