THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on local governments (LGUs) to strengthen efforts to protect the country’s maritime resources and support coastal communities affected by developments in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
A report by the Philippine Information Agency said coastal communities heavily dependent on the West Philippine Sea (WPS)-particularly fisherfolk and towns along the western seaboard of Luzon and Palawan, such as Masinloc in Zambales- bear the direct economic and livelihood brunt of foreign intrusions, maritime disputes, and large-scale marine developments.
The call was made during the ‘Kapihan para sa Karagatan,’ organized by the DILG with the Presidential Office for Maritime Concerns (POMC) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) as part of the 2026 Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) under the theme ‘Karapatan sa Karagatan, Sama-sama Nating Alagaan.’
Local Government Assistant Secretary Lilian De Leon, one of the forum hosts, underscored the role of LGUs in protecting the country’s maritime domain and natural resources, particularly as the situation in the WPS continues to affect Filipino fishermen and coastal communities.
‘We are encouraging all local governments to intensify their support for strengthening actions to protect our maritime domain and natural resources,’ de Leon said.
‘All Filipinos have an important role in this matter,’ she added.
The forum brought to the fore the situation of communities directly affected by the WPS dispute, with the mayor of Masinloc, Zambales, Hazel J. Lim, detailing its impact on local fisherfolk.
Lim said China’s prohibition on Filipino fishermen from entering reefs within the WPS has affected their catch and livelihood, leaving some fishing boats unable to operate.
‘Now, what happened to the boats, which are worth three million [pesos], is that they are just parked because they can no longer get close to the reef. We have already made attempts to approach, but the Chinese Coast Guard vessels follow us,’ she said.
National Maritime Council (NMC) Spokesperson Alexander Lopez emphasized that the WPS issue extends beyond maritime security, affecting the livelihood and food security of Filipinos. He said the national government, through the NMC, is implementing programs to assist coastal communities such as Masinloc in addressing food security concerns.
Other resource speakers included Philippine Coast Guard Lt (junior grade) Janey Anne Paloma and the mayor of Kalayaan, Palawan, Beltzasar Alindogan.
The forum also tackled challenges confronting coastal communities, including the harassment of Filipino fishermen, gaps in government support, and the spread of misinformation and propaganda on maritime issues.
The DILG emphasized that protecting the country’s maritime resources requires action not only at the national level but also from LGUs and communities whose livelihoods and food security are directly tied to Philippine waters.
MANA Mo is observed every September pursuant to Proclamation 316, s. 2017, which promotes understanding of the Philippines’ maritime and archipelagic character and directs government agencies, LGUs, and the private sector to participate in related activities nationwide.