LEGAZPI CITY – Jaime de la Vega, regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), has expressed support to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution authored by Albay Vice Gov. Jesus B. Calisin seeking the transfer of the BFAR regional office from San Agustin, Pili, Camarines Sur to the Government Regional Center in Rawis, Legazpi City.

The City Council of Naga and the Provincial Board of Camarines Sur have passed separate resolutions opposing Calisin’s proposal.

De la Vega in a radio interview last Monday, said that he is in favor of the transfer because there’s a Presidential Proclamation No. 1676, dated Oct. 8 which requires that all regional offices should be relocated at the Government Center in Rawis, Legazpi City.

Secondly, he stressed that the reason for establishing a BFAR regional office in Legazpi City is that Legazpi City is strategically located for closer coordination with other regional and provincial offices.

“If the plan to transfer the BFAR regional office to Legazpi City materializes, we will be hitting two birds with one stone because we can establish the BFAR provincial office for Albay and at the same time establish the BFAR regional office in Legazpi City,” De la Vega said.

However, he stressed that the BFAR office in Pili, Camarines Sur will remain a satellite regional office. “We will hold office here at least two days a week,” he added.

De la Vega admitted that Albay has no BFAR provincial office. “If the plan pushes through, we will establish an extension regional office in Legazpi City,” he said.

“In my honest opinion, having a BFAR regional office in Legazpi City, we will be able to better serve the fishing industry in Bicol,” he added.