Fisherfolk groups unite to protect West Philippine Sea rights in Lucena City waters

By Nimfa L. Estrellado-Laurino PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez addresses Lucena City fisherfolk during the recent Empathy Dialogue o...

By Nimfa L. Estrellado-Laurino

PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez addresses Lucena City fisherfolk during the recent Empathy Dialogue on coastal security and illegal drug trafficking. (PDEA CALABARZON)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon— Ten years after the Philippines won its landmark South China Sea arbitration, the ruling is being carried beyond diplomatic forums to fishing communities whose livelihoods depend on the country’s waters. In Lucena City, the anniversary became a discussion about law, food security and the risks faced by families who make their living at sea.

Around 500 fisherfolk from seven coastal barangays recently gathered at the Lucena City Convention Center  for a dialogue under the theme, “Dekada: West Philippine Sea – Atin Ito! Dekada ng Batas, Hindi Dahas.” Officials from fisheries, maritime security, law enforcement and the city government joined the activity, including representatives of BFAR, the Philippine Coast Guard, AFP, PDEA and Lucena City Police Office.

The gathering reflects a broader government effort to bring the meaning of the 2016 arbitral award closer to fishermen whose income depends on access to marine resources. More than 450,000 registered fisherfolk live in provinces and cities facing the West Philippine Sea, linking maritime access to household income and the country’s food supply.

The Lucena dialogue gave fishermen a venue to raise concerns about safety, fishing grounds and the condition of marine resources. Government representatives also discussed Philippine maritime rights, fisheries enforcement and the use of law and diplomacy in handling disputes at sea.

Rear Adm. Jay Tristan Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea and spokesperson of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, has said public understanding is central to sustaining the country’s position. During the National West Philippine Sea Summit in July, he argued that the arbitral ruling must remain part of public discussion rather than be confined to official statements.

“The most effective way to keep the Arbitral Award alive is to keep the Filipino people informed,” Tarriela said. “Kailangan, alam ng ating sambayanang Pilipino na nasa tama tayo, hindi dahil Pilipino tayo, kundi ang ating paninindigan ay naaayon sa batas sa ilalim ng International Law.”

The July 12, 2016 arbitral award rejected the legal basis for China’s claim to historic rights over resources within much of its nine-dash line beyond maritime zones recognized under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It also upheld Philippine rights in areas covered by the tribunal’s findings, although Beijing continues to reject the ruling.

A decade later, Manila has paired its legal position with programs intended to keep Filipino fishermen working in contested waters. Tarriela said the Coast Guard and BFAR continue assisting fishermen while government agencies counter claims that distort the legal basis of Philippine maritime rights.

“It’s important to provide the right narrative aligned with facts and anchored on international law,” Tarriela said. “Ang pagtindig natin sa West Philippine Sea ay may legal na batayan at hindi ito dapat isuko dahil ito ay utang natin sa mga kababayan nating Pilipino.”

The Coast Guard and BFAR provide fuel, ice and food packs to fishermen through the Kadiwa ng Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda program while government vessels maintain a presence near fishing operations. BFAR also distributes boats and fishing gear and conducts repair training and other livelihood programs for coastal communities.

For Lucena fishermen, maritime security also includes threats that reach waters much closer to home than the disputed areas farther west. Earlier in August, PDEA warned that foreign drug syndicates have reportedly approached fishermen to locate and retrieve packages of illegal drugs left floating at sea.

PDEA Director General Isagani R. Nerez raised the warning during a separate Empathy Dialogue attended by around 500 Lucena fisherfolk at the same convention center on August 11. He said explaining trafficking methods can help prevent fishermen from being recruited or exploited by syndicates offering money for recovered drug packages.

“It is the obligation of the government and PDEA to share knowledge with our fisherfolk regarding the syndicates’ modus operandi so that they are not put in harm’s way or exploited for illegal activities,” Nerez said. He warned that financial offers from traffickers can expose fishermen to criminal liability and other dangers at sea.

Authorities have previously recovered cocaine and shabu floating in Tayabas Bay and the Pacific Ocean, placing fishermen among those likely to encounter abandoned contraband while working. The incidents have pushed law enforcement agencies to treat coastal communities not only as vulnerable groups but also as sources of information on suspicious activity offshore.

Nerez urged fishermen who encounter suspicious packages to immediately contact authorities and surrender suspected narcotics through proper channels. He said reports from fishing communities can help investigators stop drugs from being moved inland or transferred to other areas.

“We need to collaborate with our authorities by giving information or surrendering some of the illegal drugs that they found while at sea,” Nerez said. PDEA offers rewards of up to ₱2 million depending on the classification or grade of the illegal drugs reported or surrendered.

The overlap between fishing, maritime enforcement and coastal security gives the Lucena dialogue a more immediate dimension than the legal dispute alone. For local fishing families, protecting the sea means defending access to fishing grounds while staying alert to illegal activity that can threaten both livelihood and safety.

A decade after the arbitral ruling, the Lucena gathering brought an international dispute down to the level of families whose incomes begin at the shoreline. For hundreds of fisherfolk in the convention hall, maritime rights are ultimately measured by whether they can continue working safely and earning from the waters that sustain their communities.