By Jay S. Lim From challenging a Supreme Court decision to confronting illegal fishing hotspots, the Quezon Provincial Council, under the le...
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| From challenging a Supreme Court decision to confronting illegal fishing hotspots, the Quezon Provincial Council, under the leadership of Board Member Jerry Talaga, takes a stand for its fishermen. |
LUCENA CITY, Quezon - Facing dwindling catches and mounting pressures, Quezon’s artisanal fishermen found a lifeline. The root causes of their struggles were laid bare during a critical hearing. The Sangguniang Panglalawigan Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries, during a hearing held on March 5, 2025, resolved to take decisive action in support of Quezon’s artisanal fishermen.
The committee, chaired by Provincial Board Member Jerry Talaga, announced plans to pass a resolution urging the Supreme Court to reverse its decision allowing commercial fishing vessels into the 15-kilometer municipal waters. “We will stand with our small-scale fishermen,” stated Board Member Talaga, emphasizing the detrimental impact of the ruling on local livelihoods and marine resources.
Quezon Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office Chief John Lozano further reinforced this commitment, pledging that Governor Helen Tan will issue an executive order to bolster the fight against the Supreme Court’s decision.
The hearing also addressed the persistent issue of illegal fishing within the province. Board Member Talaga proposed, and the committee agreed, to summon officials from municipalities identified as havens for illegal fishing activities.
These include Lucena City, Mauban, and Calauag, where the use of destructive fishing methods such as “buli-buli” (trawl nets) and dynamite fishing remains rampant. Perez Councilor Andrea Villabrosa-Olase, however, expressed frustration over the lack of action despite repeated attempts to address the problem with Mauban. “What we need is political will,” she asserted, highlighting the success of Perez in combating illegal fishing.
Municipal Agriculturist Joemar Salagubang, president of the Quezon Municipal Agriculturist Association and Vice President of the Municipal Agriculturist Association of the Philippines, provided context for the fishermen’s plight.
He lamented the destruction of municipal fish sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, which had received significant investment. “It is heartbreaking to see years of effort and millions of pesos worth of investment destroyed in an instant,” Salagubang stated, referring to the damage caused by blast fishing, reportedly originating from Lucena.
He further raised concerns about the apparent impunity of illegal fishers, noting that their unregistered boats, including those used for “buli-buli,” operate from Dalahican Port Authority, in close proximity to the Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime Office. “It is puzzling how they are allowed to operate without proper registration and documentation,” he added.
The committee’s resolutions signal a strong stance by the Quezon Provincial Council in protecting the rights of artisanal fishermen and preserving the province’s marine resources. The upcoming resolution and summons are expected to trigger further action from both local and national authorities.
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