Fisherfolk lose at least ₱500 in daily income due to the persistent surge in petroleum prices, and without a swift fuel subsidy from the government, catch production may be disrupted, leading to a potential supply shortage, a group warned Thursday.

Samahan ng Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) Executive Director Jayson Cainglet lamented that the spike in pump prices, reaching as high as ₱24 per liter for diesel, is being “absorbed” solely by fisherfolk, who use 30 to 50 liters of fuel per trip.

Any subsequent big-time price hike, without quick intervention, may force fishermen to stay ashore, possibly resulting in a drop in fisheries production.

“Because the cost of diesel increased by ₱24 per liter in the last seven days, the actual loss now of the fishermen is ₱500 a day,” Cainglet told the Senate committee on agriculture, food, and agrarian reform. “They are absorbing that ₱500 [because] they’re not getting any aid, any discount on fuel, on excise tax or VAT.”

The government will start rolling out a ₱5,000 fuel subsidy next week, but only for PUV drivers. Farmers and fisherfolk will receive theirs “in the next two weeks,” amounting to ₱5,000 and ₱3,000, respectively, according to the Department of Agriculture, citing the lack of a funding source.

Cainglet, however, stressed that the fisherfolk could no longer afford to wait for two weeks, given that petroleum products are expected to further increase in the coming days. He added that the income of fisherfolk mostly goes to fuel expenses, leaving them with little take-home pay.

“We are focused on transport, on jeepney drivers, tricycle drivers, but the fishermen are more unfortunate than them because when production costs increase, they are absorbing it themselves,” he lamented.

He asserted that, “Jeepneys can stop for a few hours, but the fishermen cannot stop for two or even one hour. You really need to go far to catch fish. So that's the situation now. This is really an extra burden.”

Senator Win Gatchalian, head of the Senate finance committee, said the funding for swift subsidies to farmers and fisherfolk could be sourced from unutilized last year’s budget funds, which could serve as continuing appropriations.

Under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, ₱75 million each has been allotted to the DA and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for fuel assistance to farmers and fisherfolk.

Aside from this, the government can also tap additional funding from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, or AICS, by the Department of Social Welfare and Development if necessary, he added.

“A timely release of the subsidy would provide immediate financial relief to the country’s most vulnerable sectors amid expectations of higher operational costs,” Gatchalian stressed.

Furthermore, he pointed out that a swift intervention by the government could help stabilize the supply and prices of basic food commodities, which could be adversely affected by the rising fuel costs if the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues.