Fishers group urges government to rely on Filipinos to defend West Philippine Sea
Approximately 20 boats carrying around 40 small-scale fishers set sail from Masinloc, Zambales to Scarborough Shoal on the afternoon of Thursday, May 30, to carry out what they call a “collective fishing” as a stand against the fishing ban imposed by China in an area that falls within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines. According to the group Pamalakaya, the activity was not meant as a provocation but as a reassertion of fishing rights and national sovereignty. Photo by John Carlo Magallon/ Altermidya
Fishers group urges government to rely on Filipinos to defend West Philippine Sea
The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) is urging the Philippine government to trust its own citizens over foreign powers and military solutions for asserting sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea.
The group made the statement following a two-day collective fishing expedition demonstrating peaceful ways to claim the country’s territorial waters.
“Totally initiated by Filipino small fishers and their patriotic advocates, our fishing expedition attests that we can assert our territorial waters without relying on any foreign superpower, more so to provocative militaristic solutions,” said Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson said in a statement.
Hicap noted that the expedition aimed not only to challenge China’s unfair fishing restrictions in the West Philippine Sea but also to oppose ongoing U.S. militaristic actions in the area.
Despite challenging weather from the Amihan monsoon, the expedition last week off Masinloc town in Zambales included the local Panatag Fisherfolk Association, Pilipinong Nagkakaisa Para sa Soberaya (P1NAS), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), and the League of Filipino Students (LFS).
Though the participants did not reach their target, they upheld sovereign rights through collective action, according to PAMALAKAYA.
Hicap condemned the government’s lack of support for Filipino fisherfolk and scientists in exploring and protecting marine resources in the contested waters, which has allowed foreign exploitation.
He called for the demilitarization of economic activities in the region, including fishing and trade, and urged organizations and individuals to reject both Chinese and U.S. influence in Philippine territorial disputes.
The initiative, according to PAMALAKAYA, is a model for asserting sovereignty peacefully and diplomatically, advocating for a collective approach to managing and defending the Philippines’ marine resources.
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