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Protesters say the SC ruling further marginalized fisherfolk long neglected by the government
ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Carlito Moncal, a small-scale fisher from Miagao town, walked over 40 kilometers to Iloilo City on Saturday, June 28, to demand preferential access for small fisherfolk like him within the 15-kilometer municipal waters zone.
He was among more than 150 participants in a 12-hour solidarity walk calling for the protection of coastal fishing grounds from commercial encroachment.
“Gusto ko mag-participate kay para mapakita man sang iban nga fisherfolk nga kinahanglan namun ipalab-ot sa gobyerno ang amon kinamatarong,” Moncal said.
(I want to participate to show other fisherfolk that we have to unite to bring to the attention of the government that we also have our rights.)
Moncal said his catch has steadily declined in recent months, blaming the intrusion of large fishing vessels into traditional municipal waters. He said these boats use powerful lights and advanced fish-finding equipment that give them an unfair advantage.
“Kung mag-sulod sila sa sulod sang 15-kilometer nga municipal waters kag gamiton nila ang mga suga nila, problema gid sa amon,” he said.
(If they enter the 15-kilometer municipal waters and use their bright lights, it becomes a serious problem for us.)
“Nagapangisda kami kung kaagahon, kung madulom pa. Indi man kami kapangisda sa bilog gid nga gab-i,” he added.
(We go out to sea very early in the morning when it’s still dark. We cannot fish throughout the night because we don’t have the resources to stay out in the deep sea for long hours.)
“Karun, pagpatay ka suga nila kay may fish finder man sila, makita nila ang ila nga mga isda. Ang mga isda, magiging ila na,” he said.
(When they turn off their bright lights, they still have fish finders to locate the fish. By then, most of the fish have already gathered around their boats, and it’s likely that the catch will be theirs.)
“Kami, mabudlayan na dakop kay nahadlok na ang isda. Pagpatay ka suga, kay nabulabog na sila. Malagyo naman na ang isda dayon,” he added.
(It becomes harder for us to catch anything because the fish are already scared and scattered after the commercial boats turn off their lights. The disturbance drives the fish away from our nets.)
The march, dubbed “Walking the Talk: Aton ang Kinse,” was organized by the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) and Too Big To Ignore Philippines. It began at the UPV Miagao campus and ended at its Iloilo City campus, passing through several towns.
The protest followed a 2024 Supreme Court First Division decision upholding a lower court ruling that struck down provisions of the Fisheries Code. The Code’s provisions give preferential access to municipal fisherfolk and affirm local governments’ jurisdiction over municipal waters.
Moncal said the decision hit small fishers the hardest.
“Mabudlayan na kami magdakop kay mas dalagko ang ila suga kag gamit. Sinsilyo na lang ang mabilin sa amon. Amo ang pinakasakit nga scenario kung magsulod ang dalagko nga commercial fishing sa amon area,” he said.
(We will struggle to catch fish because commercial fishers’ lights and equipment are far bigger. We are only left with a measly catch. That’s the most painful scenario if large commercial fishing enters our area.)
He said the court ruling further marginalized fisherfolk already neglected by the government.
“Medyo napabyaan kami sang gobyerno. Sa kada tuig, compare sa mga farmers, may mga subsidy sila nga ginabaton o mga ayuda. Kami nga mga fisherfolk, malawid na nga mga tinuig nga wala kami ginahatagan,” he said.
(The government has almost forgotten us. Every year, farmers receive subsidies and aid. We fisherfolk haven’t been given anything for years.)
UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano, who joined the march, criticized the ruling, saying it further marginalized artisanal fishers.
“They’re not just invisible, they’re really marginalized,” he said, adding that small-scale fishers bear the brunt of climate change while contributing the least to it.
“You push them to the edge, and you also get their livelihood,” he added. “I hope we don’t reach a point where somebody will say that they took justice and hid it behind the law, rather than the law serving the ends of justice.”
In February, the provincial government of Iloilo filed a motion to intervene in the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ bid for reconsideration of the ruling. It called the decision a “clear social injustice” that undermines local autonomy and endangers marine biodiversity, fish stocks, and sustainable fisheries. – Rappler.com
