Fisherfolk held a fluvial protest in Cavite today, March 14, 2023 demanding an immediate stop to dredging activities at the San Nicholas shoal portion of Manila Bay.

The fishing boats – coming from various coastline communities and sailing under the banner of Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) – condemned the ongoing dredging operations in the area which they say have caused serious damage on the marine ecosystem in Manila Bay affecting the livelihood of thousands of fishers in Cavite.

The group renewed its call for the DENR to revoke the environmental permits granted to the operations of San Miguel Corporation and the Royal Boskalis Westminister.

The dredging activities are reportedly to provide fill-in materials for the 360-Hectare Pasay City Reclamation Project – an undertaking similarly under flak from scientists and environmentalists for its “adverse and permanent effects on natural resources and communities.”

Earlier in February, fisherfolks from Cavite, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, and Bulacan staged a fluvial protest in front of the Philippine Senate in Pasay City voicing the same demands as well calling for a genuine action in rehabilitating Manila Bay.

(Featured Image: A dredging vessel backdrops fishermen at the San Nicholas shoal. Elmer Valenzuela)