BFAR prohibited by law to venture in business?

Dagupan City mayor Benjie S. Lim will have the last laugh on the fate of the P110 million Bangus Processing Plant in Brgy. Bonuan Binloc.

A proponent of the plant when he was the mayor in the early 2000s, BPP was given to the city government under the stewardship of then mayor Al Fernandez after former Speaker Joe de Venecia who eked-out a grant from the South Korean government.

But after Mayor Lim defeated Fernandez in the 2010 poll, the latter dominant allies at the Sangguniang Panglungsod passed a last- hour resolution that was signed into law by Mayor Fernandez. This resolution is about the transfer of ownership of the BBP to the Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources.

The reason was obvious; they hated Mayor Lim so much that they would die cursing themselves if Lim would be allowed to enjoy what their ally Speaker Joe had toiled.

After they succeeded in that transfer, would BFAR now succeed running BBP as business entity that gears for export of process milk fish, "siganid", shrimps, prawns, oysters and others ?

Transfer of BBP to BFAR has created more problems

For this writer who frequents the Pigar-Pigar and Kaleskesan, the resolution of the SP to give the BPP has created more problems.

I feared that if somebody from this city files a taxpayer suit with injunction by questioning the proprietary capacity of the BFAR under Dr. Westley Rosario or his capacity to enter into contract with a private entity to commercially run the BBP— there lies the very big problem.

My fear here is BFAR was made into law through Republic Act No. 8550, whose titles say "An Act Providing for the Development, Management and Conservation of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Integrating all laws pertinent thereto and for other purpose. My fear is congress has not empowered that statute to give BFAR proprietary rights.

 The title of the law is even understandable to a last section third year high school students at the public city high school. It says what it is empowered for.

Unless congress amends the BFAR law, BPP is another white elephant in waiting.

The case would be different if BPP is run by the city government under Lim. An opposition but pragmatic SP that looks for the general welfare of Dagupenos can empower the city to enter into a proprietary venture through the BPP.

But with congress as the only authority that can amend the BFAR Law, it would take years if not eternity especially its benefactor former congressman de Venecia is no longer the speaker of the House.

With the dissension and dichotomy between the city legislative and executive bodies too obvious not to ignore, I am seeing a Mayor Lim sheepishly smiling to what the opposition in  the council has done to the precious P110 million bangus plant and the employment opportunities that all go awry because of shellfish, er, selfish politics.

Mind you, this “shellfish politics” would be the Achilles Heel of those who signed the resolution giving the BBP to BFAR.