FISHERMEN from Bulacan belonging to the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), together with allies from Samahan ng Mandaragat ng Bulacan (Sama-Bulacan), held a coastal protest action in barangay Binuangan, Obando, Bulacan, to denounce the reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
The protesters said reclamation and other coastal development projects have reduced their traditional fishing grounds, forcing them to compete for limited space in rivers and travel farther from their communities in search of fish.
‘We are experiencing increasing difficulty in sustaining our families as our catch and income decline. The situation becomes even harder during adverse weather conditions, including strong waves brought by habagat. Despite the risks, many of us continue to go out to sea because fishing remains our primary source of livelihood,’ the groups said.
The protest focused on an approximately 36-hectare fishpond in Binuangan, part of more than 600 hectares of fishpond areas in Bulakan and Obando acquired by San Miguel Corporation (SMC) as part of its 2,500-hectare New Manila International Airport (Nmia) project.
Sama-Bulacan said the fishpond areas have remained idle while small-scale fishermen continue to lose access to productive fishing grounds.
‘Ramon Ang and the San Miguel Corporation must be held accountable for their plunder of our environment and fisheries. While fishermen continue to be deprived of their livelihood and fishing grounds, vast areas of our coastlines are being seized and destroyed for the interests of large corporations,’ Pamalakaya Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo said.
The groups called for the productive use of the idle fishponds for the benefit of local fishing communities and reiterated their demand to stop reclamation projects that threaten fisherfolk livelihoods and coastal ecosystems across Manila Bay.
Pamalakaya also reiterated its call for the immediate halt of all reclamation projects and sand dredging activities at Manila Bay.