Zambales fishers get aid after ‘Balikatan’
SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES—More than a month after the livelihood of residents here was disrupted due to the Philippine-United States “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises, some fisherfolk and fish vendors finally received food aid from the government on Wednesday.
Fish vendor Genoviva Navilla, 85, said the assistance would have been a big help since there were no fish to sell. However, she was among those excluded from the list of beneficiaries.
“They said I was already old, so they removed me from the list,” Navilla told the Inquirer in Filipino.
Only 226 members of fisherfolk groups from the villages of Pundaquit and San Miguel were included in the list of recipients, according to Hilda Reyes, president of the San Miguel Women Fish Vendors Association. The aid included 10 canned goods, rice, sugar, instant coffee and chocolate drink.
At least 6,300 registered fishers from six coastal towns —San Antonio, San Narciso, San Felipe, Cabangan, Botolan and Subic—were affected by the annual Balikatan exercises held from April 25 to April 27 and from May 5 to May 6.
During those periods, the sea usually yields its most abundant catch, but the fishers were forced to suspend operations to give way to the joint military activities.
Daily losses
Now, the impact of “habagat” (southwest monsoon), bringing strong winds and big waves, have again prevented fisherfolk in the province from going out to sea—a situation that has persisted for almost a month.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration on May 30 declared the beginning of habagat in the country, which is one of the precursors of the onset of the rainy season.
According to the initial monitoring of the fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya,) more than 27,000 registered fisherfolk across the province are already reeling from the loss of daily income due to the weather phenomenon, which could last until September.
Pamalakaya has urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to allocate part of its P1-billion calamity fund to assist small-scale fishers affected by habagat.
“The DA and BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) should immediately contact fishermen to determine the extent of the damage caused by habagat and take appropriate measures,” said Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chair.
Pamalakaya also said that the livelihood of over 30,000 small fisherfolk in Cavite province were also disrupted by the southwest monsoon.
“Also known in coastal communities as ‘sigwada,’ small fisherfolk are forced to suspend fishing activities due to bigger-than-normal waves and strong winds which usually last from the last week of May to September,” the group said.
Fisher Rocky Quilon, a member of the Pamalakaya-affiliated Samahang Magsasaka at Mangingisda ng Barangay Taltal, pointed out that many fishers do not have other sources of income.
Another suspension
Commander Euphraim Jayson Diciano, chief of the Philippine Coast Guard Zambales, confirmed that in the coming days, fishing and other beach activities will again be suspended in San Antonio and its nearby coastal towns due to the 78th Founding Anniversary celebration of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
The PAF will hold a capability demonstration to showcase its operational competencies in air and maritime operations within the country’s jurisdiction.
The exercise will take place in the waters near the Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Command facility, prompting the suspension of fishing and coastal activities during rehearsals on June 19, June 20, and June 24, and on the day of the event on July 1. —WITH A REPORT FROM GILLIAN VILLANUEVA
