BACOLOD CITY – The Diocese of Bacolod has appealed to lawmakers, local government officials, and the Judiciary to reexamine the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing commercial fishing vessels within municipal waters.

In a pastoral statement released on May 27, Bishop Patricio Buzon stressed that this decision permitting them to operate within the 15-kilometer zone strikes at the heart of marginalized coastal communities, especially in Negros Occidental, where more than 45,000 small-scale fishermen across 25 coastal cities and municipalities depend on these waters for their livelihood.

Buzon urged the government to review the policy and engage directly with the communities most affected, as they face the threat of further economic hardship.

He said that for small-scale fisherfolk, fishing is a livelihood and means of survival.

“Thus, to endanger their access to the seas is to endanger their lives and future.”

Buzon said that if left unchallenged, the decision would allow large commercial fishing vessels to encroach on the waters reserved for municipal fishers under Philippine law and would jeopardize local livelihoods and risk irreversible harm to marine ecosystems, violating both environmental sustainability and social justice.

He said that as Christians, the Church's social teachings remind them of the preferential option for the poor, which compels them to prioritize the needs of the vulnerable and ensure that the voices of the least among us are heard and defended.

“Our small-scale fisherfolk are not merely workers of the sea but they too play a vital role in food security and sustainable development, contributing over 90 percent of the world's fish catch, and yet they are often excluded from decision-making processes that directly affect their survival,” the bishop said.

The diocese asked parishes and chaplaincies, especially on coastal areas, to organize campaigns and conduct information drives to enable communities to understand the impact of these rulings on fisherfolk and marine ecosystems.

The provincial government of Negros Occidental has also expressed concern over the ruling and stood in solidarity with over two million small-scale fishers across the Philippines in ensuring municipal waters remain dedicated to their needs.

It also called on national leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to support efforts to protect municipal waters for small-scale fishers, strengthen fisheries management, and promote equitable and sustainable development for coastal communities.