Fishermen hold a protest at sea on their wooden outriggers off the coast of Barangay Tayud, Consolacion town in northern Cebu to oppose the planned reclamation project in the area. | Futch Anthony Inso
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — At least 50 fishermen in Sitio Bagacay, Barangay Tayud, Consolacion town in northern Cebu today held an-hour long protest at sea against the planned reclamation project on their shoreline.
At least 10 wooden outrigger boats with fishermen holding placards aboard gathered near the area where the planned project was supposed to be constructed.
Some of their placards read “Ayaw Tabuni ang Dagat kay wala nami Panginabuhian,” “Dunay Daghang Isda ug Kinhason ang Dagat,” “No to Seafront Reclamation Project,” “Mayor Alegado dunay daghang Isda ug Kinhason sa Dagat.”
The fishermen refuted claims of town officials that fish and marine resources in the area were already scarce.
One of the protesting fishermen, Gerardo Gabayan, even showed his catch early in the day, five pieces of fish that he caught using a fishing line aboard his small wooden banca or outrigger boat.
“Kung tabunan wala na mi panginabuhian sa dagat dinhi. Mamasol ra man mi diri,” Gerardo Gabayan said.
(If they will cover this area then our livelihood will be gone. We only catch our fish here.)
Gabayan said that he had been fishing in the area since he was 15-years old and that even his father and grandfather were fishermen.
Another fisherman, Gerald Lobitaña, 25, also said that fishing had always been his livelihood since he was 5-years old.
He said that he learned to fish when he would always accompany his father to catch fish in the sea during his childhood.
“O, naa gyud mi madala (nga isda),” Lobitaña said, adding that the town officials should reconsider their plan in reclaiming the area.
(We could always catch fish here.)
Aside from the fishermen’s claims about the sea in the area still abundant with marine life, they also said that they were not consulted by the town officials on the project.
But earlier, Vice Mayor Teresa “Nene” Alegado said that the fisherfolk and residents in the area were consulted by the municipal government.
She said that the project would also complement to upcoming International Container Port which was a national government project.
The 234.80-hectare mixed-use Seafront City Project will be implemented in Barangay Tayud.
Aside from fisherfolk, some shipyard owners and workers in the area are also opposing the reclamation project.
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