The Philippines being an archipelago, it?s no wonder that most of its population lives in coastal areas, directly depending on the sea to survive. Add to this the many industries?tourism, manufacturing, shipping, fisheries, and others?that also need the sea for revenue. The growing need for scarce coastal and marine resources has led to vicious competition among users, resulting in the encroachment of large-scale fishing in areas reserved for municipal fishers, the use of destructive and overly efficient fishing gear that leave nothing for the smaller fishers to catch, and the conversion of mangrove and beach areas for activities that pollute seagrass beds and coral reefs.
Because they are already disadvantaged to begin with, social justice requires that small-scale fisherfolk be given priority in the access and use of coastal and marine resources. Their right to participate in the shaping of policies that will affect their livelihood and community life must not be compromised by the stronger voices of the political and financial elite. This includes having an active role in law enforcement through alternative mechanisms that ensure the just and swift resolution of resource use conflicts, instead of relying only on the country?s already clogged courts.
Furthermore, government must increase public investment in sustainable livelihoods that will ease the pressure on fisheries resources while enabling fishing communities to earn enough to send their children to school, and stop the cycle of poverty.
Thousands of Filipino families today living in coastal areas continue to struggle to make ends meet because of dwindling fisheries, degraded reefs, and decimated mangrove forests. Many are forced to live in crowded settlements, far away from the source of livelihood they have known for generations, to make way for large businesses and industries that not only deprive them of access to their resources, but also kill the life source of so many families.
And yet despite all these, through adult education, many fisherfolk communities have learned to help themselves and now patrol their municipal waters, establish marine sanctuaries in their villages, and seek other sustainable means of income in the hope of providing a better future for their children. To help us empower more communities in protecting their right to enjoy the abundance that the sea offers, click here.
