By JOHN KIETH PALIJADO and ISABELA RIVERA
with reports from Daniela Mauricio
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Rona Escarial never imagined she would join a protest action at Mendiola bridge.
For one, she lives far from the historic bridge. Escarial is a fish and mussel vendor in the Navotas port. Nevertheless, she and her two-year-old child joined human rights and environmental organizations in denouncing various problems plaguing fishing communities under the Marcos Jr. administration.
“Our livelihood has been affected. It is very difficult because we depend on this for our daily sustenance, for our children’s school expenses, for daily meals—everything comes from here,” Escarial said.
Marcos Jr. initially said that he would have reclamation projects in Manila Bay stopped. However, critics said that it has continued at the expense of coastal communities.
In their community, Escarial and other residents continue to resist the 650-hectare reclamation project by their local government and the San Miguel Corporation. The reclamation projects in Manila Bay, they said, contribute to the flooding in the National Capital Region.
“We are not receiving any help or assistance from the local government. We hope the reclamation will be halted, as it is the government itself that is causing us to fall.” Escarial said.
Navotas situation
Life has been difficult for fishers relying on the waters of Manila Bay, as seen in the Navotas shipyard.
“This is a big problem for fishers here. They have been reclaiming the seas here and our fishing grounds are shrinking as a result. At times, we are forced to enter fishing waters beyond our municipality waters because we no longer have one,” Thess Dizon, a resident of Navotas for over 30 years, told Bulatlat in an interview last week.
According to the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), two of the reclamation projects in Manila Bay are located in Navotas City. The first one is the 15.62-hectare Rehabilitation of Navotas Fish Port Complex which was prequalified before the President’s suspension order and is currently under application. The second project is the 650-hectare Navotas Coastal Bay Reclamation Project proposed by San Miguel Corp. and the local government which was approved in 2018 and has been under construction since 2019.
Last year, Marcos Jr. supposedly ordered the suspension of reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
“During these times, for example, they even closed the passage for ships there, which is under construction. Many boats are unable to go out to sea. So, what will happen to those people and their families? Often, they are asking for payment in advance, it’s heart-wrenching. You can’t catch any fish, and you risk getting caught at sea. That’s our problem. That’s what makes it difficult for us.” said Dizon who owns three boats.
The fluctuation in fish catch in Manila Bay is largely attributed to ongoing habitat destruction and fishing bans. Manila Bay, a vast 199,400-hectare body of water covering multiple provinces and cities, has become a hotspot for development with at least 23 land reclamation projects underway.
Dizon said that a law mandates a fishing ban in Manila Bay, requiring activities to be conducted 10 kilometers from the shoreline. However, fishers find this difficult to follow because their usual fishing spots are becoming depleted due to ongoing reclamation projects in the area.
Recent data show a 70 percent decline in fish catch and a reduction of 137,720 metric tons in fish production in Manila Bay. Experts have consistently warned against the environmental impact of these reclamation projects which have been shown to harm fisheries, a sector that has a major contribution to the country’s GDP.
Marine experts have pointed out that the ongoing reclamation projects in Manila Bay will result in irreversible destruction of the marine environment. These projects deplete fish stocks, leaving fisherfolk affected.
Dizon told Bulatlat that the government should prioritize and support fisherfolk.
“Fishers are very important,” he said, “without them, there is nothing for consumers to buy.”
Oil spill
Aside from the impact of reclamation, groups also decried the damages the recent oil spill inflicted on the environment and the lives of the coastal communities, saying that both Marcos Jr. and tycoon Ramon Ang should be held accountable.
Last July 25, MT Terra Nova, a fuel tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel, capsized in Limay, Bataan, and began leaking oil. Days later, fuel tankers named MKTR Jason Bradley carrying 5,500 liters of diesel fuel, and MV Virola 1 carrying black oil, were found abandoned in Mariveles, Bataan.
Read: Manila Bay oil spill has paralyzed small fisherfolk, consumers
Read: PH gov’t urged to go after top oil spill source
“There is an insufficient response from the Marcos Jr administration to the damage caused by the oil spill,” Arambulo said.
He added that fishers in Bataan are facing a loss of income due to the oil spill. Vendors have been buying certain types of fish from the fishers at a reduced price of ?50 ($0.87) per kilo, down from ?120 ($2.09) per kilo before the oil spill occurred.
“[The] Marcos Jr.’s administration is the greatest calamity and disaster in our country. We must continue to call out the authorities and fight for justice so that Marcos Jr. is held accountable for his negligence towards our nation.” Bayan Secretary-General Raymond Palatino said. (JJE, DAA) 
