Fisherfolk affiliated with the group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) staged a protest at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Quezon City, Philippines on Jan. 19, marking the 5th anniversary of the government’s Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program.
The demonstrators are holding DENR accountable for not revoking environmental permits related to 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
Members of PAMALAKAYA, originating from Navotas and Cavite, provided testimonies asserting that the rehabilitation program failed to significantly enhance Manila Bay’s ecosystem.
They argue that this failure has resulted in an 80 percent loss in daily income for fishermen, attributable to reclamation projects encroaching on crucial fishing grounds and habitats.
Photos by Chantal Eco
