SUPPORTING THE STATEMENT OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS REGARDING MUNICIPAL WATERS

SUPPORTING THE STATEMENT OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS REGARDING MUNICIPAL WATERS

I stand firmly with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in their opposition to the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing commercial fishing within the 15-kilometer municipal waters. For me, this is not just a legal or political issue—it is a moral, social, and ecological crisis rolled into one.

The bishops are right. These municipal waters were never meant for the large fishing fleets. They were meant for small-scale and artisanal fisherfolk who have nothing more than bancas, nets, paddles, and their faith in God. The 1987 Constitution, the Local Government Code, and the Fisheries Code (as amended) are crystal clear: municipal waters are to be reserved, with “preferential rights,” for small fisherfolk. Why? Because without such protection, these families—over 2.3 million Filipinos—will simply be wiped out by unfair competition.

Let me be blunt: how can a fisherman with a paddle-powered banca compete against a steel-hulled vessel with massive nets, sonar, and industrial freezers? To call this “competition” is like pitting a jeepney driver against a multinational bus company on the same narrow road—it is absurd.

I have read the testimonies of fishermen like Norlan Pagal of Cebu and Luther Alison of Mindanao. Their voices cut through the legal jargon. “What will happen to us?” Pagal asked, pointing out the obvious—small boats cannot venture into the open seas. And what about the fisher wives like Martha Candano of Northern Samar, who waits long hours for their husbands who may return empty-handed? These are not abstract debates. These are lives, families, and communities at stake.

So why did the Supreme Court make such a ruling? The bishops warn us that this is not only a violation of the law, but also of justice, fairness, and stewardship of creation. Indeed, we cannot pit Filipino against Filipino, where the wealthy few profits while the many poor are pushed to hunger.

Now the question is: what should be done? The bishops are right to raise the alarm, but the government must act as well. I strongly believe the President should immediately mobilize the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine Navy, the PNP Maritime Command, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to enforce the laws that already exist. If the Court opens the floodgates to exploitation, then the Executive Branch must step in to close them through strict monitoring and enforcement.

And here is where technology and civic action come in. I am willing to organize my own group of volunteers to assist in monitoring and reporting violations in municipal waters. Today, we cannot just rely on patrol boats. We must use drones and satellite data to spot illegal incursions. Do we not already have data from PHILSAT, NAMRIA, and even PHIVOLCS that could be repurposed to track maritime activities? The technology is there—we only need the will to use it.

I am also ready to offer my assistance to the President on the technical side of this problem. If we are serious about protecting our seas, let us use every tool at our disposal: science, faith, law, and community action.

At the end of the day, this is not just about fish. It is about justice, food security, and national sovereignty. If our small fisherfolk are driven out of their traditional waters, we are not only condemning them to poverty, but we are also eroding the food supply of millions of Filipinos who depend on fish as their daily protein source.

So, I say: let us support the bishops. Let us protect the municipal waters. Let us stand with the fishermen, not the fleets. Because to defend them is to defend ourselves, our environment, and the moral fabric of our nation.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

11-07-2025