About 300 fishers and youth gathered at the Sunken Garden in the University of the Philippines, 7 June, using the space to educate the youth on current dangers threatening fisherfolk livelihoods, particularly commercial industries encroaching on the 15 km municipal waters promised by the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. to small fisherfolk.

As part of a petition by Oceana Philippines to current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., fishers and youth organizations formed a human banner of the number 15. They were surrounded by a circle of advocates from both groups holding hands in solidarity and displaying a large yellow banner at the front that read, “Para sa Mangingisda.”

According to Oceana organizers, the number 15 symbolized the 15 km of municipal waters, with their large banner clearly conveying who should own and profit from these contested waters.

The circle of advocates, on the other hand, was explained by organizers as a representation of natural barriers holding strong against threats to the 15-kilometer buffer supposedly reserved for small-scale fishers.

The 15-kilometer buffer zone court proceedings

In 1975, former President Marcos Sr. signed the Presidential Decree No. 704 to protect small-scale fisherfolk by banning commercial vessels within seven nautical miles from the shoreline or in waters less than seven fathoms deep.

To fix the enforcement issues caused by the complex depth metrics, the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 or Republic Act No. 8550 was enacted to officially reserve the exclusive 15 km zone from the coastline for municipal fishers.

The Philippine Fisheries Code was then later amended by RA No. 10654 to heighten penalties for illegal commercial encroachment.

In 2024, however, the Supreme Court First Division affirmed a Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision declaring parts of the Fisheries Code unconstitutional, stripping the LGUs’ jurisdiction over the municipal waters zone and lifting the ban on commercial fishing in shallow waters.

This ruling became final because the Office of the Solicitor General missed the strict deadline to file an appeal, the SC noted.

Small scale-fishers along with environmental groups actively protested against the Supreme Court ruling, warning it will open vital nearshore fish habitats to destructive commercial fleets.

As of current latest legal updates, the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources along with mobilized coastal groups are still waiting for the Supreme Court to reconsiderate a reversal for this controversial decision.

Today, small scale-fishers with support from local advocacy groups like Oceana Philippines, in full coordination with BFAR, the PCG, the PNP Maritime Group and LGUs, have made a petition for the current President to uphold the law’s promise to the municipal fisherfolk under RA 10654.

“Mr. President, we, your fellow Filipinos, ask you to direct the strict enforcement of the 15-kilometer municipal water exclusivity under RA 10654. Defend the 15-kilometer provision against any attempt – legislative, judicial, or administrative – to weaken it,” the petition stated.

Kwentong Dagat highlighting local fisher struggles

As advanced celebration for the World Oceans Day tomorrow, 8 June, Oceana Philippines in collaboration with fishermen across the country, environmental groups and various youth organizations has conducted, 7 June, the “Kwentong Dagat: Kinse kilometro para sa mangingisda,” converging youth groups and fisherfolk to engage with each other and highlight growing troubles in the local fishing industry.

Edward, a common fisherfolk shared his everyday troubles during the event, with rising oil prices taking a huge chunk of his daily income.

“Yung dating kinikita namin na 1,000, maiuuwi namin ay 700 dahil sa konsumo. Ngayon sa pagtaas ng presyo, sa pagsipa ng langis, naging 300 na lang dahil naging doble. Parang ang pinag-hahanap buhay na naminnay mga may ari ng gasolinahan, mga negosyante, kapitalismo,” Edward stated.

Kuya Edward also highlighted an oversight by the government, in their recent subsidy programs only benefitting PUVs and overlooking fisherfolks who consume more oil on average when compared to land vehicles.

“Nabanggit niya, kasi nga diba ang gobyerno, parang binigyan lang po ng subsidiya yung mga PUVs, pero nabanggit po ni kuya na mas malaki po pala yung oil na nagagamit nila.

Pero wala po silang tulong pinansyal para dun,” the student who conversed with Kuya Edward shared.

Edlyn Rosales from Samahan ng mga kababaihang mangingisda also stepped up on the podium to talk to the youth participating in the program, questioning why a resource-rich country like the Philippines is relying on foreign trade for seafood products.

“Hindi normal na ang isang bansang kagaya nating napapalibutan ng likas na yaman ay inaasa ang ating pagkain sa ibang bansa,” Edlyn stated.

According to Oceana, Philippine waters are home to 500-600 species of reef-building corals, over 2,000 species of marine shore fish, and varied marine life like sea turtles, whale sharks, small reef fishes and deep-sea organisms.

Having this rich an ecosystem is a blessing that should be protected, primarily by the government, a big reason why fisherwomen like ate Edlyn continue to advocate and protest, to be heard by the authorities.

“Ang mga mangingisdang ito ay kayang umahon sa sarili nilang sikap, sa sarili nilang lakas, basta ang gobyerno sana ay ginagawa ang kanyang tungkuling pangalagaan ang ating mga likas na yaman, lalong-lalo na ang karagatan,” Edlyn expressed.

“Kung ginagampanan ng pamahalaan ang pangangalaga sa ating mga palaisdaan, kung ang pamahalaan ay nakakiling sa pangangailangan at interes ng nakararami at hindi sa interes ng kita, wala sanang mga mangingisdang magsasabing nagugutom kami,” she added.

Edlyn ended her statement with a powerful shout against commercial industries attempting to monopolize the fishing industries and potentially destroying the 15-kilometer buffer zone, leaving low fish yields to local fisherfolks.

“Yung mga negosyanteng malalaki dyan, si Ramon Ang, lumayas kayo sa dagat kasi amin yan! Huwag niyong pakialaman ang karagatan, lalo na ang kinse kilometro dahil yan ay para sa maralitang mangingisda, maliliit na mangingisda,” Edlyn finished.

Pablo Rosales, President of the Pangisda Philippines, on the other hand, put into perspective that despite the huge fraction of seas and rich sea biodiversity covering the Philippine archipelago, local fishermen remain as the poorest sector in the country.

“Ang mga mangingisda ay number one sa pinakamahirap na sektor ng ating lipunan, katunayan na tayo ay under attack,” Ka Pabs stated.

“Ganito ang kalagayan namin mga mangingisda, dahil ang pangisdaan, ang yaman ng pangisdaan ay nakaka tungkol at pinakikinabangan ng malaking kapitalistang dayuhan, kapitalistang lokal na Pilipino, hindi lamang sa laot kundi pati na ang munisipal na pangisdaan ay gusto nilang angkinin,” he added.