Helping the ‘invisible’ poorest of the poor

(First of two parts)

The United Nations has designated Oct. 16 each year as World Food Day. On this day, the global community is urged to raise awareness and take action for those suffering from hunger and to emphasize the importance of ensuring healthy diets for everyone.

President Bongbong Marcos has promised to help the poorest of the poor, saying that no Filipino should go to bed hungry and that no community will be overlooked in our fight against poverty.

He directed all government agencies and local government units to strengthen efforts toward zero hunger, food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture.

Who are the poor and where are they located?

But who are the poorest of the poor, and what is the government doing to help them?

Among the nation’s basic sectors, the fisherfolk are the poorest of the poor. The Philippine Statistics Authority states that the poverty incidence among fisherfolk has always been higher than the national average. The number of impoverished fisherfolk rose from 287,070 to 353,190 from 2018 to 2023.

Fisherfolk produce our food, but despite being food producers, they cannot afford enough food to remain economically and socially productive. The number of food-poor fisherfolk has worsened over time, increasing in 2021 (11,966,000) and 2023 (9,303,000) compared to 2018 (9,055,000).

The COVID-19 pandemic finally recognized the small-scale fishers as the nation’s food frontliners. As economic activities ground to a halt and food supplies were disrupted, the activities of small-scale fisheries became the primary source of nutritious food for communities.

But a pandemic should not be the best way to recognize the importance of small-scale fisheries in this country.

Since 2010, total fisheries production has declined, and the decline has continued over the past years. In 2025, the production of marine municipal fisheries of 212,000 metric tons was 5.5 percent lower compared to the same quarter in 2024, accounting for 21.3 percent share of the total fisheries production. Commercial fisheries production also fell by 10.5 percent, from 294.95 thousand metric tons in the second quarter of 2024 to 263.91 thousand metric tons in 2025.

The trend of declining fisheries production is both frightening and concerning. The small fisherfolk sector is already threatened by habitat degradation, overfishing, climate change, pollution and illegal and unregulated fishing. The problem is worsened by the legalization of commercial fishing within municipal waters, which will take away municipal fishers’ priority access to these areas. As a result, the livelihoods of millions of fisherfolk are at risk, along with the country’s food security.

What government services are needed?

The country has 2.7 million fisherfolk living in communities where government services are often unavailable or unsatisfactory.

Most fisherfolk are poor and lack education. They depend on the sea for their livelihood, which is risky, uncertain and unpredictable. Fisherfolk want their children to escape poverty through education. Studies show that over 75 percent of young fishers want to return to school or pursue higher degrees. As strong typhoons hit the country, we see heartbreaking stories of fisherfolk losing their children to the sea as they go out fishing to earn money for their other children’s school expenses.

The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Law (RA 10931) provides free tuition and miscellaneous fees in more than 200 public universities. Additional subsidy is provided through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and the Tulong-Dunong Program (TDP) to cover students’ daily expenses.

But like most marginalized sectors, fisherfolk families in far-flung areas often fall between the cracks. They are unable to access the services provided by agencies such as the DOH and DSWD. I noticed during my ground visits to the countryside that very few students in remote areas are in the DSWD Listahanan and 4Ps list.

Other government agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, provide fisheries scholarship programs to students whose parents are registered municipal fisherfolk. CHED uses proceeds from the Agricultural Competitive Enhancement Fund for scholarships to students who enroll in agriculture and fisheries programs.

Sadly, the commodity and land-oriented structure and programs of the DA often place fisherfolk at the bottom of its priority list.

Role of public universities

We need to go beyond providing scholarships to address the poverty situation of fisherfolk. Understanding the root causes of fisherfolk marginalization requires research and analysis from our higher education institutions. HEIs must also convert the work of researchers on fisheries and aquatic sciences into tangible products. These will help our fisherfolk understand their situation and empower them to rise above poverty.

Our state universities and colleges (SUCs) should function as public entities with a public role. Besides their duty to educate marginalized groups, such as our small-scale fishers, SUCs are also tasked with research and extension activities that address local problems.

The University of the Philippines Visayas, as the national university, must play a major role in addressing social inequity and poverty in this country by promoting the welfare of small-scale fishers. UP will earn its status as “national university” and justify its billion-peso budget only if it makes a difference in the lives of the poorest of the poor.

This call applies to other SUCs across the country with fisheries programs such as ISUFST, MSU-Naawan, Palawan State University, Zamboanga City Marine Science State College and Central Luzon State University.