Hundreds of fisherfolk in Zambales are demanding government intervention against beach resorts allegedly blocking their access to the sea, depriving them of their primary source of livelihood.
Members of the 27,000-strong Zambales Provincial Fisherfolks Association (ZPFA) staged a protest outside the Provincial Capitol on October 13, calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to dismantle illegal shoreline structures and restore public access to coastal areas.
ZPFA president Paulo Quitaneg denounced resort owners who allegedly occupy public shorelines and restrict fishermen from accessing municipal waters.
“Wealthy people build illegal structures along the shore, while poor fisherfolk who belong to the marginalized sector and ought to be protected are denied entry to the beach,” Quitaneg said.
Protesters claimed that some resorts prohibit fishermen from docking their boats, while others impose entrance fees on residents merely passing through to reach the beach.
Delia Magtalas of San Narciso said she lost her P75,000 fishing boat during the recent typhoon season after resort owners allegedly prevented her from docking for repairs.
New Masinloc Fishermen’s Association vice chairman Rodencio Edora likewise urged the DENR to remove fences and structures obstructing public access.
Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. earlier warned resort owners that accreted coastal lands belong to the State and cannot be claimed through tax declarations or business permits.
“A tax declaration, or a business permit, is not a land title and does not prove ownership,” Ebdane stressed.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Marife Castillo said the DENR had classified accretion areas as danger zones as early as 2008, but warnings against construction were largely ignored.
Under its coastal delineation and management program, the DENR has cited 1,071 occupants and establishments in Zambales coastal accretion zones for illegal construction, lack of permits, and environmental violations.
The fisherfolk reiterated their call for immediate enforcement of coastal protection laws, stressing that public shorelines must remain accessible to communities whose survival depends on the sea. Taktikom News & Features
