Planned Manila Bay Fishing Ban Would Hurt Small Fisherfolk, Gov't Told

Planned Manila Bay Fishing Ban Would Hurt Small Fisher folk, Gov't Told

source: GMANews.TV - Thursday, September 3,

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20090902/tph-planned-manila-bay-fishing-ban-would-d6cd5cf.html

Full News from Source:

A fisher folk alliance has asked Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to reject a plan by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to ban fishing activities in Manila Bay, which is supposedly meant to lessen pollution. In a statement, the group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) warned that the BFAR’s proposal would adversely affect tens of thousands of fisherfolk whose livelihood are dependent on Manila Bay.

“Secretary Yap is ill-advised on this proposal of BFAR. This stupid and highly erroneous proposal will spur massive protest from Manila Bay fishermen and coastal people who depend largely on Manila Bay’s resources for livelihood and survival,"

said Pamalakaya chairperson Fernando Hicap. He said BFAR’s “reckless" proposal will displace around 13 million people living along the 190-kilometer coastline of Manila Bay.

Manila Bay is bounded by Bataan in the west, Pampanga and Bulacan in the north, Cavite in the south and the cities of Malabon, Navotas, Caloocan, Manila, Pasay and Las Piňas in the east. Hicap said the fish ban will also reduce the country’s fish production.

“Nobody will say yes to this mass murder of people’s livelihood,"

he said. The group also asked Malacaňang to “back off from this murderous plan" and to consider the good of the people residing beside the bay. BFAR proposed the partial closure of Manila Bay from 2012 to 2015 following a Supreme Court decision in December 2008 ordering the cleanup of the body of water. ‘Not after small fishermen’ BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr. said, however, that

“small" fishermen should not worry about the proposal since only “commercial fishermen" will be covered by the ban. Sarmiento explained that “commercial" fishing vessels are those that weigh three tons and above. “Small" vessels that do not fall under this weight category are not covered by the ban. “We are not after the small fishermen. What we want to regulate here are commercial fishermen, whose vessels weigh three tons and above,"

he said. Sarmiento also assured fisher folk living near Manila Bay that they would not be displaced and that their livelihood would not be affected by the proposed fish ban.

“No one will be displaced. We will only stop issuing new licenses for commercial fishing vessels. Walang mababawas. Wala lang madadagdag (nothing will be removed, but there will be no addition),"

he said. - with Nadezhda Tanola, GMANews.TV

Assignment Part :)

WHAT: Fisher folks asked Agricultural Secretary to reject the plan to ban fishing activities in Manila Bay

WHERE: Manila Bay

WHO:

Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya)-- the Fisher Folks

Agricultural Secretary Arthur Yap

WHY: BFAR’s proposal would adversely affect tens of thousands of fisher folk whose livelihood are dependent on Manila Bay

HOW:

“...This proposal will spur massive protest from Manila Bay fishermen and coastal people who depend largely on Manila Bay’s resources for livelihood and survival,"

BFAR’s “reckless" proposal will displace around 13 million people living along the 190-kilometer coastline of Manila Bay.

Insights/ Realization:

"With great power comes great responsibilities" a famous quote popularized by Spidey. Conceivably, the quote has already been a cliche that would sound like "With Great Acts comes Great (and many) Odds". The government's plan of rehabilitating Manila Bay is one heck of a project for developing the country in many marvelous ways. But here comes the backfiring part: Small time fishermen gets affected... possibilities of them getting butt out in the river threatens them. It is good enough to know both sides of the story though, knowing the government has immense concern to the society and on the other hand, the fishermen to bravely voice out their treat for the welfare of everybody who's livelihood and daily necessities depend on the river. Hai Hai buhay. Hindi ba tayo pwede gumawa ng mabuti ng walang matatapakan? Ai ewwan. :)