Masinloc fishers like West Philippine Sea mention but find SONA lacking

Fishermen who joined the second Atin Ito-led civilian mission to Scarborough Shoal on May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — While they are happy about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s stance on the West Philippine Sea, small-scale fishermen from Masinloc, Zambales were expecting to hear about more support for fishers in the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Leonardo Cuaresma, president of New Masinloc Fishermen Association, said Marcos only mentioned his programs on aquaculture and mariculture, which small-scale fishers do not have the capacity to do.

“Bagamat may mga ilang programa na kanyang nabanggit sa atin pong mga mangingisda, pero hindi po kami na-satisfy,”  he told Teleradyo Serbisyo in a telephone interview on Monday.

(Although he mentioned some programs for us fisherfolk, we are not satisfied)

INSURANCE, BETTER BOATS

Cuaresma said they have long been seeking government assistance on life insurance and sustainable livelihood as the China Coast Guard continues to control Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag or Scarborough Shoal), a resource-rich traditional fishing ground in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

According to the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims over the South China Sea, Bajo de Masinloc is a traditional fishing ground and no coastal nation should block access to it.

“Kung meron sana kaming magagandang sasakyang pandagat bukod sa makakatulong kami sa seguridad ng atin pong soberanya…ay makakatulong din ito para sa sustenableng pangkabuhayan po ng bawat mangingisdang Pilipino,” he added.

(If we had better boats we would not only be able to help secure our sovereign rights, we will also have assistance towards 

"Ang West Philippine Sea ay hindi kathang-isip natin lamang. Ito ay atin. At ito ay mananatiling atin, hangga’t nag-aalab ang diwa ng ating minamahal na bansang Pilipinas," he said.

(The West Philippine Sea is not just in our imagination. It is ours. It will remain ours while the spirit of our beloved Philippines is alive)

'CONCRETE ACTIONS NEEDED'

Joey Marabe, Pamalakaya-Zambales provincial coordinator, said Marcos should go beyond convincing everyone that the West Philippine Sea belongs to the Philippines, and present concrete actions to peacefully regain the country’s control over the territorial waters, particularly its fishing resources.

"May malakas na ligal na batayan tayo para mapayapa at diplomatikong igiit ang West Philippine Sea. Subalit pinapalampas ito ng administrasyong Marcos Jr. at mas sumasandig sa dayuhang interbensyong militar na nagpapalala lamang ng tensyon," Marabe also said.

(We have a strong legal basis to peacefully and diplomatically defend the West Philippine Sea but the Marcos Jr. administration is letting it slip. He prefers foreign military intervention that worsens the tension)

RELATED: Philippines compiling evidence on new case vs China — NSC

Pamalakaya and other national democratic activist groups have been pushing for bringing the West Philippine Sea issues to international venues like the United Nations and for holding joint patrols with other Southeast Asian claimants in the South China Sea.

They warn that bringing the US and other Western nations into the issue would put the Philippines in the middle of a geopolitical dispute with China.

The Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday that the Philippines and China have reached a temporary agreement on resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal.

READ: PH to ‘continue to assert rights’ after deal with China on resupply missions — DFA

The agreement "will not prejudice our respective national positions," the DFA said on Monday.

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