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The mayor of a coastal municipality in Northern Samar is appealing to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for assistance in monitoring the presence of foreign vessels which may potentially exploit the town’s marine resources, particularly the local fishing grounds.
Mapanas Mayor Ronn Michael Tejano’s appeal stemmed from the recent sighting of a Chinese research vessel, identified as the Shen Kou, some 148 kilometers (80 nautical miles) from the town’s territorial waters.
“Having a monitoring system closer to Mapanas would greatly benefit us in promptly preparing and responding to similar incidents,” Tejano told the Inquirer in an interview on May 6.
“Considering that fishing is the primary livelihood of my constituents and neighboring Pacific towns, it’s important that their safety and protection is ensured,” he added.
