Militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya-Pilipinas) on Sunday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to dismantle vast tracts of private fish pens in Laguna de Bay.
The order was made during the President’s 1st State of the Nation Address on July 25.
“This is what the Laguna lake fishers have long been waiting for; a leader who will address the welfare of the small fishers over big-corporations’ greedy interests. Large portion of Laguna de Bay have been occupied by big fishing and aquaculture companies for decades now,” said Roman Antazo, Pamalakaya secretary general and also a fisherman from Laguna Lake.
Pamalakaya said that almost 60 percent of the 94,000-hectare lake has been leased to big fish pen operators by the Laguna Lake Development Authority through the Fishpond Lease Agreement.
Pamalakaya said this is in violation to the law that only allows 10 percent of the inland waters to be occupied privately.
The lion’s share of the lake is being apportioned by a few private individuals and corporations which own fish pens covering a total of 700 hectares, according to the group.
“The corporate takeover of Laguna de Bay left nothing for the small fisherfolk who have been making livelihood out of its productive fishing water. The once communal fishing grounds for the small fishermen are now enclosed with cages resulting to overcrowding. We have experienced several forms of harassments from the armed fish pens personnel and deprivation from our livelihood when we go near the private fish pens,” Antazo said.