Santos B. Rasalan: Early Leader In Philippine Fisheries

One of the early leaders and fisheries scientists in the Philippines was Santos B. Rasalan.

Born in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, on October 29, 1905, the young Santos finished the degree of Bachelor of Science in Zoology at the University of the Philippines in 1903. He has five children with the former Calixta Balicanta also of Sarrat.

In 1934, he worked as a student assistant in the Fish and Game Administration of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce in 1934. It was through this assistantship that his interest on fisheries developed. He worked as Ichthyologist, Assistant Fish Culturist, Fishing Gear Specialist, Fishery Technologist, Chief of the Marine Fisheries Division. The highest position he handled was Deputy Commissioner of the Fisheries and Officer-in-Charge when Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos appointed him to that position in March 1966. On July 5, 1967, the Commission on Appointment confirmed his appointment as Deputy Commissioner for fisheries services, information and regulation.

Mr. Rasalan served as official Philippine delegate to various meetings abroad.

According to Nellie M. Anorico, Mr. Rasalan was the lone Philippine delegate to the 2nd FAO Technical Conference on Fishery Research Craft held at Seattle, Washington last May 1968. He was also the lone Philippine government delegate to the 10th session of the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council held at Seoul, Korea in 1962. He again attended the 12th session of the IPFC held at Honolulu, Hawaii from October 2-17, 1966.

During his term as Deputy Commissioner, he proposed, and was approved by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Fernando Lopez, the amendment of Section 2 of the Fisheries Administrative Orders (FAO) no. 84.

Section two of the approved FAO says: "Section 2. Prohibition. - It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in electro-fishing or to catch fish by the use of electric current in freshwater fisheries in the Philippines such as rivers, lakes, swamps, dams, irrigation canals and other bodies of freshwater except for research, educational and scientific purposes which must be covered by a permit issued by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources which shall be carried at all times."

As a scientist, Mr. Rasalan contributed the following:

Rasalan, S. B. Si-si fishery of Samar, Philippine Islands. Phil J. Sci. 64 (1937).

Rasalan, S. B. Methods of preserving fishing appliances in Samar province. Phil. J. Sci. 73 (1940)

Rasalan, S. B. New methods of fish capture in the Philippines. Bull. Fish. Soc. Phil. 1(1950):57-66.

Rasalan, S. B. and D. V. Villadolid. The basnig, a bag net for pelagic fishing in the Philippines. Dept. of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Manila, Philippines. Tech. Bull. 21. In press.(as of 1951)

Rasalan, SB. 1953. Fish corral fishing in the Philippines. bull. Fish. Soc. Philipp. 3&4:45-63.

Rasalan, SB. 1950. New methods of fish capture in the Philippines. bull. Fish. Soc. Philipp. 1:57-68.

Rasalan, SB. 1952. Fishing gear commonly used in Philippine fishing. Philippine Fisheries, a handbook prepared by the Technical Staff of the Bureau of Fisheries, pp. 53-69.

Rasalan, SB and B. Y.Datingaling. 1952-1953. Bull. fish. Soc. Philipp 3/4:64-72.