CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE—Former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos urges officials in all the 19 coastal municipalities in Central Luzon to also rally for the Supreme Court to revert its decision that allows commercial fishing vessels to operate within the 15-kilometers municipal waters.
Abalos, one of the 12 senatorial candidates of the administration’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas told Bulacan reporters after a press conference during their grand political launch in the province held at Savano Hotel on Friday that the decision of the high court in favour of the huge commercial fishing vessels will displace and affect more than 2 million fisher folks in the country.
He said the magnitude and effect of the said decision will be similar if not even worse than the oil spill recently experienced in Mindoro and in Bataan and the rest of the other areas in Central Luzon.
“I just came from Mindoro, It was the second year after the oil spill that hit their waters. We had just overcome its ill effects. But this decision of the SC removed the preferential rights to farmers. That means the commercial fishing vessels would be allowed to pass through and operate within the 15-kilometers coastline. We knew that our fisher folks are on a daily subsistence and we are talking of more than 2 million fisher folks. Our waters will be over fished to the detriment of our small fishermen,” he said.
“I am encouraging all the local government units, particularly the coastal towns that are affected to file their appeal before the high court,” he added.
Abalos vowed that if he would win a seat in the senate, he would strongly raise contradiction on the said high court ruling and fight for the rights of the fishermen. “It also highly involves environmental protection in addition to the livelihood concerns of the people. I will really fight against that ruling. I will be one with the fisher folks because it is not right,” he added.
The high court upheld in August last year the ruling of Malabon Regional Trial Court decision, allowing commercial fishing vessels to operate within the 15-kilometer municipal waters, which invalidates the preferential access previously given to small-scale fishers and which displaces small fisher folks along the coastlines.
Nineteen towns and cities in Central Luzon—five towns in Bulacan—Obando, Bulakan, City of Malolos, Paombong and Hagonoy; four in Pampanga—Macabebe, Lubao, Sasmuan and Masantol and ten in Bataan–Abucay, Balanga, Hermosa, Limay, Mariveles, Morong, Orani, Orion, Pilar, and Samal are affected of this ruling of the high court.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Reg. 3 Director Wilfredo Cruz told NEWSCORE on Sunday that they have already filed for a motion for reconsideration before the SC.
There has yet been any local government unit to have filed an appeal before the high court, he said in a text message reply.
Herminio Evangelista, 44, a fisher folk in Bulakan town, fishing in the waters of Barangay Taliptip using “dragon bubu,’ a local makeshift fish catching cage said on Sunday that big commercial fishing vessels allowed to operate within the 15-kilometers municipal waters will destroy their fishing crafts and will affect their daily earnings for their families.
Dragon bubu catches shrimps, crabs, different kinds of fish and other aquatic resources. On an average day, Evangelista said he earns P500-P700 and would reach up to P1,200 depending on the status of water if it is clear or not.
According to Evangelista, the 15 kilometer municipal waters, or just within the town’s river, is their major fishing ground because they seldom sail in Manila Bay due to huge and strong waves and strong winds which their small crafts cannot stand.
Cristina Gonzales, former vice mayor of Paombong town and local fisher folks advocate, told NEWSCORE over the phone on Sunday that she has been receiving reports that the commercial fishing vessels operating in their waters have armed men.
