QUEZON CITY– Small fisherfolk from Zambales joined the Amihan Federation of Peasant Women in a protest at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday, October 15, marking the United Nations’ 18th International Rural Women’s Day.

The protest, led in part by fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA), highlighted concerns over US military intervention in coastal communities in Zambales, particularly in Subic.

Roselyn Regalado, president of the Subic-based Samahan ng Cabangaan 3 Fisherfolk Association, opposed the planned construction of a US ammunition factory in their coastal village, saying it threatens fishing livelihoods, community safety, and the marine environment.

“We will not allow the construction of a US arms factory in Subic Bay. It threatens the livelihoods and security of fisherfolk and residents in surrounding communities,” Regalado said in Filipino.

She also recalled the closure of the former US military base in Subic, arguing that there was no justification for allowing US military facilities to return to the country.

PAMALAKAYA said US military intervention remains unacceptable despite tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea, warning that an expanded US military presence could further heighten regional tensions rather than ease them.

The group urged Filipinos to oppose the proposed US military installation in Subic Bay, which it said would support the production of ammunition for forward deployment in the Indo-Pacific region.

The fisherfolk also protested ongoing dredging activities in Zambales, citing concerns over marine degradation, damage to coastal structures, and other potentially irreversible environmental impacts.

The protest marked the opening of Peasant Protest Week, which runs until October 21, the anniversary of Presidential Decree No. 27, a land reform measure issued during the Marcos dictatorship that peasant groups have criticized as inadequate.