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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Romualdez vows to help Iloilo fishers vs encroachment of commercial fishing operations

Romualdez vows to help Iloilo fishers vs encroachment of commercial fishing operations

Published Mar 8, 2025 07:44 am

At A Glance

  • House Speaker Martin Romualdez has committed to help Iloilo fisherfolk protect their livelihood from the encroachment of commercial fishing operations at their own fishing sites.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez has committed to help Iloilo fisherfolk protect their livelihood from the encroachment of commercial fishing operations at their own fishing sites.

Romualdez on Friday, March 7, met with leaders and representatives of Sicogon Island fisherfolks in Carles town, Iloilo, where he announced this commitment.

The fisherfolk aired their concern to Romualdez regarding the August 2024 Supreme Court (SC) ruling that allowed commercial fishing vessels to operate within the 15-kilometer municipal waters--a zone traditionally reserved for small-scale fishers.

The House Speaker said he understood their plight.

"Tama po ang posisyon ninyo, wala akong nakikitang mali. Kaya mataas ang kumpyansa ko na mapapagbigyan tayo. Lahat ng kakayahan ko gagamitin ko [para tulungan kayo] dito sa kaso ninyo, asahan nyo po (You are in the right position and I see nothing wrong with it. That's why I have the confidence that the Supreme Court will in rule in our favor. I promise you that I will do all I can to help you in your case)," he said.

One of the ways Romualdez will do afterwards is to endorse the fishers' concerns to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to exhaust all available legal remedies to overturn the SC ruling.

"Kakausapin din natin yung abogado natin, yung OSG, kaya siguradong aabot ito sa kinaaukulan. Meritorious naman, at siguro kailangan lang ipaabot natin sa mga mahistrado na ito talaga ang hinaing ng mga mangingisda (We will also talk to our lawyers, to the OSG to ensure that your case will reach the right authorities. It's meritorious, so we just need to make sure that it will reach the High Court to hear the concerns of our fishers)," Speaker Romualdez said.

Several bills were already filed in the House of Representatives proposing amendments to the Philippine Fisheries Code, including House Bill (HB) No.6381 which seeks to provide a 10-kilometer (km) buffer zone beyond the 15-km municipal waters to deter intrusion of commercial fishing vessels in the areas reserved exclusively for small fisherfolks.

During the dialogue, Iloilo fishers expressed fears that allowing commercial fishing in municipal waters would mean the loss of their livelihood, leaving them with no income to feed their families and send their children to school.

They also warned that the operation of large commercial fishing fleets in municipal waters would lead to irreparable damage to the ecosystems and depletion of marine resources that small fishermen depend on for their livelihood and survival.

The Iloilo fisherfolks pointed out that they have been complying with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)'s implementation of a closed fishing season, to ensure that fishing in their local waters remains sustainable.

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