Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

A fisherman works at a fish cage in Laurel, Batangas, on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Residents of the lakeside town rely on aquaculture in Taal Lake as their primary source of livelihood, despite ongoing challenges posed by the volcano’ s activity. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Laurel

Izzy Lee

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175273233383220250710-taal-fish-cage-MT10.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A fisherman works at a fish cage in Laurel, Batangas, on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Residents of the lakeside town rely on aquaculture in Taal Lake as their primary source of livelihood, despite ongoing challenges posed by the volcano’ s activity. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The local government of Laurel, Batangas on Thursday said it was studying whether to declare a state of calamity due to the drop in fish sales amid reports of &quot;missing sabungeros&quot; bodies being dumped in Taal Lake.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/7/14/taal-lake-fish-sales-fall-amid-search-for-sabungeros-0852">Taal Lake fish sales fall amid search for sabungeros</a></div><p>According to some fishermen, sales of fish caught in Taal Lake have fallen amid reports that bodies of slain cockfighting enthusiasts were dumped in the lake.</p><p>If declared, funds will be released to support affected fisherfolk, according to Bienvinido Mayuga, Municipal Administrator of Laurel.</p><p>Laurel LGU on Thursday distributed relief goods to 500 fisherfolk affected by the issue.</p><p>Mayuga said more relief distributions are scheduled in the coming days.</p><p>&quot;Sa mga susunod na araw po pinag-uusapan na po kasama po ang DSWD, MSWD para naman po sa agarang tulong po para naman sa mga affected ng ating imbestigasyon na nagaganap,&quot; he said.</p><p>One of their plans is to provide financial aid and livelihood programs for fisherfolk.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/11/missing-sabungeros-search-more-sacks-spotted-on-taal-s-lakebed-1327">Missing sabungeros search: More sacks spotted on Taal’s lakebed</a></div><p>&quot;Meron po nawalan na sila ng gana na magtinda, kaya po ang lokal na pamahalaan ay magbibigay sa mga susunod na linggo ng livelihood programs,&quot; he said.</p><p>They also reiterated that fish from their town are safe to eat.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/29/fisherfolks-livelihood-hit-by-claims-missing-sabungeros-were-buried-in-taal-lake-1621?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawLlb1pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETE2azY5SFpXTkdQT3p3WmJWAR4tKJyvwkbw7zi1ajItaZ2CVFkgR5HKDa3EcuifoLubJZ-X1ayCS8W_vNzkKw_aem_RhpRcysCQGr3Q0KAcHQPlQ">Fisherfolks&#x27; livelihood hit by claims missing sabungeros were buried in Taal Lake</a></div><p>&quot;Paglilinaw din po, ang tilapia po sa Laurel ay cultured, alaga, pinatutuka po ito ng commercial feeds. Hindi po ito yung alpas na gaya ng inaasahan ng iba,&quot; he said.</p><p>Tourism in Laurel has also reportedly taken a hit, with fewer tourists visiting the town since the news broke that the bodies were allegedly dumped in Taal Lake.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9dG4SK5sAVY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>If state of calamity is declared, funds will be released to support affected fisherfolk, according to Bienvinido Mayuga, Municipal Administrator of Laurel.</p>

If state of calamity is declared, funds will be released to support affected fisherfolk, according to Bienvinido Mayuga, Municipal Administrator of Laurel.

Batangas town mulls state of calamity as 'sabungeros' case guts fish sales

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Batangas town mulls state of calamity as 'sabungeros' case guts fish sales

Izzy Lee,

ABS-CBN News,

Published Jul 17, 2025 02:07 PM PHT

|

Updated Jul 17, 2025 02:18 PM PHT

Read More:

Batangas

laurel

missing sabungeros

taal

fisherfolks

Taal Lake

fish

livelihood

LGU

ANC

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