Lapu-Lapu City’s Task Force Kalikasan has the city covered, including island barangays.
The task force now has 210 trained deputies deployed in the 30 barangays or seven for each barangay.
These deputies are trained on community-based law enforcement, particularly in the implementation of the Fisheries Code of 1998 (Republic Act 8550); the Forestry Code of the Philippines or Presidential Decree 705; and Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003).
They are also trained on how to identify fish caught using explosives or blasted fish and how to respond to oil spills and other sea emergencies.
The community-based deputies will act as force multipliers of the regular members of TF Kalikasan, composed of five full-time City Hall employees and five members of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office.
The community-based deputies receive monthly honorariums from city hall.
Mayor Paz Radaza said she is augmenting TF Kalikasan because of the serious illegal fishing problem. The group also conducts interception operations against illegally cut logs transported from other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.
TF Kalikasan head Andy Berame and Supt. Virgil Ranes, executive officer of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office are on top of the group’s day-to-day operations.
“TF Kalikasan’s operations are in line with the ‘I commit’ initiative of the city government, together with the tourism stakeholders to help protect the underwater treasures,” Berame said.
Supt. Ranes added that they are also intensifying monitoring activities on the sources of improvised explosive devices and dynamite used in blast fishing.
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