Ang Pahayagan

Manila– Members of the fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) will join the multisectoral protest in time for the 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, July 28.

The fishers’ group said that it will raise in the protest the pressing issues in the fishing sector, including the threat of commercial fishing to the 15-kilometer municipal waters, the massive displacement of coastal families due to reclamation and conversion, and the continued foreign military interventions in the territorial waters, especially in the West Philippine Sea.

PAMALAKAYA expressed disappointment to the Marcos administration, over its “continued” inaction against the Court ruling allowing commercial fishing vessels within the municipal waters.

“Malakas ang panawagan ng mga mangingisda na huwag ipatupad ang utos ng Korte pabor sa mga commercial fishing. Pero nananatiling walang aksyon ang administrasyong Marcos rito. Kung tuluyang ipatutupad ang nasabing kautusan, tinatayang nasa 90% ng kabuuan ng municipal waters ang mapapasakamay ng mga malalaking negosyo sa pangisdaan,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson said.

According to PAMALAKAYA, approximately 90% of every municipal water will be open for exploitation of big-fishing firms if the Court ruling is fully implemented. The said ruling will allow commercial fishers within the municipal waters with depth beyond seven fathoms (12.8 meters). Based on an initial study of a marine scientist, only 10% of municipal waters are less than seven fathoms deep.

Aside from the issue in the municipal waters, PAMALAKAYA will also raise in the protest the threat of “foreign military activities”, including the Balikatan exercises and the proposed construction of de facto foreign military bases, to the fishing livelihood and security of Filipinos.

“President Marcos is condemnable over his subservience to foreign power, particularly the United States. By accommodating the U.S. troops, military activities and facilities in our country, Marcos is at the high risk of escalating the geopolitical tensions in the region at the cost of the Filipinos’ safety and national security,” Hicap added.

PAMALAKAYA said that despite the inclement weather, it will push through with its protest to highlight these “pressing sectoral and national concerns”.

“Despite the anticipated gloomy weather on Monday, small fishers from various provinces will travel to Manila to present the real state of our sector which is authentic, and based on the day-to-day experiences and struggles for daily survival. This will be contrary to Marcos’ state of the nation which is curated and far from reality,” ended Hicap. ###