Ang Pahayagan

CAVITE— Members of the fisherfolk group PAMALAKAYA in Cavite temporarily suspended their fishing operations and docked their boats to stage a one-day “tigil-palaot” protest, decrying what they described as the government’s inadequate response to the ongoing oil price surge.

According to PAMALAKAYA-Cavite President Richard Catenza, many small-scale fisherfolk in the province have already halted their fishing activities for nearly a month due to the sharp increase in fuel prices, which has made operations financially unsustainable.

“Our fishing boats have been docked for almost a month now because we can no longer afford the skyrocketing price of diesel. Some fisherfolk have temporarily left fishing and shifted to odd jobs, including construction work,” Catenza said. “Meanwhile, the promised fuel subsidy by the government remains elusive for food security frontliners like us.”

The group noted that prior to the recent series of oil price hikes, a small fisher in Manila Bay typically spent around ₱560 on diesel per fishing trip. With diesel prices now reaching an all-time high of ₱124 per liter, the cost has surged to approximately ₱1,240 for just 10 liters—representing a 121 percent increase.

PAMALAKAYA is urging the government to take immediate action, including the removal of fuel taxes, which they said add about ₱20 per liter to petroleum products. The group is also calling for the swift and adequate distribution of fuel subsidies, proposing financial assistance of ₱15,000 each for over two million registered fisherfolk nationwide. The protest underscores growing concerns among small-scale fishers over their livelihoods, as rising fuel costs continue to impact the country’s fishing industry and food supply chain.