Fishermen fear displacement
CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines – Declaring the lagoon at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal a marine sanctuary might again deprive Filipino fishermen of their right to livelihood and access to fishing zones.
In a statement, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) yesterday asked President Duterte to reconsider his decision declaring the lagoon a marine protected area.
“It might bring back the situation where Filipino fishers are not allowed to enter our own territory, although this time it will be our own law and government that will prohibit them, not China,” read the statement.
“Filipino fishers have yet to recover after years of deprivation and restriction from the West Philippine Sea. We fear that declaring it as marine sanctuary would pave the way for another fishing blockade.”
Pamalakaya chairman Fernando Hicap urged Duterte to develop a utilization plan to maximize marine resources in the West Philippine Sea for the country’s domestic needs without putting the fishermen’s livelihood at stake.
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