Fisherfolk and support civil society organizations took to the street in Quezon City not to celebrate but to raise concerns and issues besetting the small fishers on May 28, 2026, ahead of the country’s commemoration of National Fisherfolk Day on May 31.

The mobilization in front of the Department of Agriculture (DA) along Quezon Elliptical Road was led by members of the Katipunan ng mga Kilusang ng mga Artisanong Mangingisda ng Pilipinas (KAKAMPi) and the Pambansang Lakas mg Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA).

The group slammed the DA and the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for their “failure to defend the rights and uplift the general welfare of artisanal fishers in the country.”

KAKAMPI chairperson Roberto “Ka Dodoy” Ballon said: “Sa pambansang araw ng mga maliliit na mangingisda, walang dapat ipagdiwang, kasi mahirap pa rin ang sektor. Kami pa rin ang mahihirap sa Bagong Pilipinas ni BBM.”

KAKAMPI lambasted the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for its “neglect of small fishers and bias towards big commercial fishers.” They cited  the controversial Supreme Court ruling allowing commercial fishing vessels to operate within municipal waters. 

Ballon said “dahil sa kapabayaan at kutsabahan ng mga tiwali at maka-komersyal na opisyal ng BFAR, naagaw ng mga dambuhalang komersyal na pamalakaya ang 15 kilometrong munisipal na pangisdaan at ibinigay sa mga kapitalista ang malawak na katubigan para sa reklamasyon.” 

PANGISDA president Pablo Rosales said “Ibayong kahirapan at pagkakait sa karapatan ng maliliit na mangingisda ang binunga nito, ang lokal na pangisdaan ay para sa tao at hindi para sa negosyo.”

According to KAKAMPI, aside from big commercial fishing and reclamation projects, small and artisanal fishers are dislocated and deprived of their livelihood and communities due to government thrust to give coastal areas to energy projects, off-shore mining and public infrastructures. 

Samahan ng Maliliit na Mangingisda leader Joseph Vargas shared their experience: “Hindi lang mga malalaking komersyal na pamalakaya at reclamation ang nagkakait sa amin ng kabuhayan at karapatan kundi maging mga fossil fuel based na proyekto tulad ng mga planta ng coal, LNG at LPG sa Batangas at mga off-shore mining.”

KAKAMPI also criticized the Marcos Jr. administration’s inadequate solution against the impact of the oil crisis. 

Miriam Petaclorin, leader of the group HAYUMADORA from Quezon province said: “Ang pangakong ayuda sa kahirapan ng maliliit na mangingisda ay hindi lamang mabagal kundi hindi sapat at pangmatagalan.” 

She said: “Hindi ayuda ang tunay na solusyon. Ang dapat gawin ng gobyerno ay tiyakin na ang munisipal na katubigan ay ekslusibong ibigay at ipamahala sa maliliit na mangingisa at ibigay ang todong suporta sa lokal na pangisdaan.”

Also present during the protest are members of Tambuyog Development Center, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), Women’s group Oriang and Pambansang Kilusang Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK). /30

Photos by Jimmy A Domingo – Mata: Asia Press Photo