Higher fuel costs lead to smaller catches for Cavite fisherfolk

Some fisherfolk in Cavite City have smaller catches as fuel price hikes prevent them from going further out to sea.

According to Darlene Cay’s Thursday report on “24 Oras,” fishermen like Eric Bustillo can only sail up to three kilometers from land, resulting in limited catches.

He said he spends P200 on fuel and earns P200 from selling fish, leaving him unable to buy rice.

Meanwhile, fisherman Micahel dela Cruz only caught a few crabs and fish during his three-hour sail.

He said high fuel prices could force his family to be hungry.

Some fisherfolk now work as tricycle drivers and construction workers to provide for their families.

Of the 10,000 members of the Pagkakaisa Ng Mga Samahan Ng Mangingisda Sa Pilipinas (Pangisda Pilipinas), 5,000 have stopped going out to sea.

They are also selling their boats rather than letting them dry out and get damaged.

Pangisda Pilipinas president Pablo Rosales said fisherfolk cannot afford to pay for transport, which now costs P30,000, up from P25,000 before.

The groups continue to seek assistance from the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

“Ngayon, napakataas ng gastos sa produksyon ng mangingisda. ang gobyerno di kumikibo. Ang sa amin, hanggang kailan ba kami pababayaan ng gobyerno?” Rosales said.

(Now the production costs for fishermen are extremely high, and the government isn’t taking action. How long will the government continue to neglect us?)

The problem with fish supply has reached the market, as fish prices have risen.

BFAR assures the country's fish supply is sufficient and that it continues to provide aid to fisherfolk, but it is prioritizing those in fifth-class municipalities.

This year, more than 10,000 fisherfolk received a fuel subsidy of P3,000.

“Gusto natin linawin na ang priority natin dito ay yung nanggagaling sa mga fifth-class municipality. Kasi, following the principle of equity, mas gusto natin maabot ‘yung mas nangangailangan. Ito yung mga local government unit na kung saan ang kanilang mga constituents na mga mangingisda ay higit nangangailangan para sa fuel assistance habang hinaharap po nila itong krisis na ito,” BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera said.

(We want to clarify that our priority here are those from fifth-class municipalities. Following the principle of equity, we aim to reach those who need help the most. These are the local government units where the fishing communities are in greatest need of fuel assistance as they face this crisis.)

BFAR has an additional P50 million in fuel subsidies to be given to around 15,000 fishermen this April.

The use of P10 billion from the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk, which includes aid for 399,000 fisherfolk, has also been approved.

However, this still leaves many of the country’s 2.5 million fisherfolk without assistance, including those in Cavite City who are not currently prioritized.

"After mabigyan natin at meron ding resources, hindi naman natin sinasabi na dapat sila hindi completely mabigyan. Kasi ang gusto natin inklusibo yung interventions na ginagawa ng pamahalaan,” Burguera said.

(After we provide assistance and resources, we are not saying that they should be completely left out. What we want is for the government’s interventions to be inclusive.)

But for fisherman Teroy Saliva, he said he will just wait for the financial aid since he cannot do anything about the current situation.  —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA News