Rowegie Abanto

Fisherfolk join environmental groups, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) and OCEANA Philippines, in an indignation rally, from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to the Department of Agriculture, on December 30, 2024. The group criticized concerned government agencies for their negligence following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Malabon Regional Trial Court’s decision allowing commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal waters. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Fisherfolk join environmental groups, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) and OCEANA Philippines, in an indignation rally, from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to the Department of Agriculture, on December 30, 2024.
The group criticized concerned government agencies for their negligence following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Malabon Regional Trial Court’s decision allowing commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal waters.
Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

20241230-fisherfolk-rally-BFAR-DA-MT

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173811302486720241230-commecial-fishing-protest-MT02.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Fisherfolk join environmental groups, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) and OCEANA Philippines, in an indignation rally, from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to the Department of Agriculture, on December 30, 2024. The group criticized concerned government agencies for their negligence following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Malabon Regional Trial Court’s decision allowing commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal waters. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/FileFisherfolk join environmental groups, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) and OCEANA Philippines, in an indignation rally, from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to the Department of Agriculture, on December 30, 2024. The group criticized concerned government agencies for their negligence following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Malabon Regional Trial Court’s decision allowing commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal waters. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File"/>Fisherfolk join environmental groups, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) and OCEANA Philippines, in an indignation rally, from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to the Department of Agriculture, on December 30, 2024. The group criticized concerned government agencies for their negligence following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Malabon Regional Trial Court’s decision allowing commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal waters. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA – Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc have proposed an investigation into the &quot;adverse impacts&quot; on small-scale fisherfolk and the environment of allowing commercial fishing vessels within municipal waters.House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. France Castro, House Assistant Minority Leader Gabriela Women&#x27;s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel filed House Resolution No. 2202 on Tuesday calling for the inquiry by the Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources.In the resolution, the lawmakers said the 1987 Constitution &quot;guarantees the rights of subsistence of fisherfolk to preferential use and access to municipal waters.&quot;The lawmakers cited a recent Supreme Court ruling that allowed large-scale commercial fishing within municipal waters, removing the jurisdiction of local government units over the 15-kilometer municipal waters.&quot;Sa ngayon pa lang naghihirap na yung ating mga mangingisda… Lalo lang po silang mahihirapan sa kanilang kabuhayan, pwede nga pong ma-displace sila dahil siyempre magiging kakumpitensiya niya yung di hamak na malalaking commercial vessels,&quot; Manuel told reporters in an interview after the filing.&quot;Ito rin ay magkakaroon ng masamang epekto sa ating kalikasan. Lalo lamang masisira ang  mga coral reefs natin at ibang yamang dagat. Kaya hindi dapat tayo magkibit-balikat dito,&quot; he added.Manuel said conducting an inquiry in aid of legislation would enable Congress to file and approve stronger measures to protect the livelihood of fisherfolk.&quot;Sa investigation, hopefully mangyari ito sa lalong madaling panahon para meron tayong pormal na pagkakaton na silipin ang Fisheries Code of 1998 na magkaroon ng amyenda. Tapos ngayon na ganito ang problemang kinakaharapan natin, napapanahon na aralin muli at tingnan anong pwedeng follow-through na legislation,&quot; he said.Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) insisted the 15-kilometer boundary is rightfully theirs and commercial vessels should not be allowed to enter.&quot;The 15-kilometer municipal waters reserved for municipal fishers is merely two million square kilometers or only 15 percent of the Philippine waters. This entails that allowing commercial fishers to access the municipal waters would further shrink the reserved waters for small-scale fisherfolks to 2 percent, and would open up 98 percent of Philippine waters to large-scale and commercial fishing vessels,&quot; the resolution read.The lawmakers cited the concerns raised by various fisherfolk groups and conservationist organizations over the presence of commercial fishers in municipal waters.&quot;It would further legitimize the monopolization and corporate plunder of traditional fishing grounds, leading to the eventual marginalization of small-scale and artisanal fisherfolks,&quot; the resolution read.They said illegal commercial fishing is &quot;already rampant&quot; in municipal waters according to data from the non-government organization Oceana.According to the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) from 2019 to 2024, it showed illegal commercial fishing is pervasive in Zamboanga City; Tongkil, Sulu; San Pascual, Masbate; Milagros, Masbate; Languyan, Tawi-Tawi; Cuyo, Palawan; Cawayan, Masbate; Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan; Calauag, Quezon; and Carles, Iloilo.Oceana Vice President Gloria Ramos thanked the lawmakers for helping raise awareness on the extent of the damage and implications of commercial fishing.&quot;This is a big setback to the reforms already in place… Sana sa imbestigasyon lalabas itong lahat para mapalalim pa yung proteksyon natin sa ating fisherfolk at sa buong bansa. Kasi we are dependent on our ocean for our sustenance and our future,&quot; she said.Ramos said a local government unit and others filed a motion to intervene before the Supreme Court earlier this month.&quot;Marami rin ang nag-file na. I hope more will be filing. Kasi apart from impacting small-scale fishers, ang local autonomy is an issue here. Kasi nakalagay sa ruling na national agencies ang mag-govern sa municipal waters. Eh may local government code tayo, fisheries code tayo na klaro na devolved service ito eh,&quot; she said.&quot;It will really create confusion. It might create chaos and conflict kapag hindi ito na-resolve,&quot; Ramos said.She added that the court should have followed the 2010 Rules of Court since this involved an environmental case.The Department of Agriculture through the Office of the Solicitor General filed a motion for reconsideration before the SC to overturn the decision on allowing commercial fishing in municipal waters.Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. raised concern over the decision and its potential adverse effects on the livelihood of small-scale fisherfolk and its impact on marine resources.Pamalakaya likewise called on Laurel to be more proactive on the issue and seek dialogue to discuss its efforts to protect small-scale fisherfolk.The Supreme Court&#x27;s First Division had earlier upheld the Malabon Regional Trial Court&#x27;s decision declaring the Fisheries Code&#x27;s preferential access provisions unconstitutional.&quot;Yung proposal naman sa legislation ay baguhin yung  preferential term na nakalagay doon sa provision na nagsasabi na 15 kilometers diba? Parang kung pupwede ilagay doon exclusive rights para walang confusion eh,&quot; Brosas said.Castro said what is happening is &quot;anti-poor&quot; citing the plight of small fisherfolk.&quot;Hindi na nga maproteksyunan ang ating mga mangingisda sa West Philippine Sea…. Tapos yung mga municipal waters ay aangkinin pa ng malalaking may-ari ng fishing vessels. Sino ba ang nakikinabang dito?&quot; she added.<div> </div><div>RELATED VIDEO:</div><div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qQSCfTlYep4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc have proposed an investigation into the "adverse impacts" on small-scale fisherfolk and the environment of allowing commercial fishing vessels within municipal waters.

Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc have proposed an investigation into the "adverse impacts" on small-scale fisherfolk and the environment of allowing commercial fishing vessels within municipal waters.

Lawmakers seek inquiry on impact of commercial fishing in municipal waters

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Lawmakers seek inquiry on impact of commercial fishing in municipal waters

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 29, 2025 09:51 AM PHT

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