Not only in Boracay, luxury beach resorts in Batangas pollute fishing grounds – PAMALAKAYA

Not only in Boracay, luxury beach resorts in Batangas pollute fishing grounds – DSC_0619.JPGPAMALAKAYA

Manila, Philippines – The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) on Wednesday wants the government to investigate and at the maximum shutdown private beach resorts in the province of Batangas that were once productive coastal communities of thousands of fishing families and coastal settlers.

PAMALAKAYA said at least 300 hectares of coastal communities in the town of Nasugbu, Batangas have been converted into Hamilo Coast by the SM Group owned by the business tycoon Henry Sy. The group claimed that the beach resorts are affecting the livelihood of more than 1,000 fisherfolk because their traditional fishing grounds have been declared as off limits and marine protected areas. There are three marine protected areas declared within the vicinity of the Hamilo Coast where small fishermen are not allowed to conduct fishing activities.

Hindi lamang sa Boracay kundi maging dito sa probinsya ng Batangas at sa iba’t-ibang panig ng bansa nagaganap ang paglabag ng mga pribadong beach resort sa karapatan ng mga mangingisda. Sinisira ng mga ito ang natural na ekolohiya ng karagatan na kadalasang nagreresulta sa malawakang fish kill,” Lino Baes, PAMALAKAYA Batangas Spokesperson said in a statement.

The group has been opposing the conversion of fishing waters into private use because it does not only result to massive dislocation of fisherfolk but also poses great disaster and ecological disruption to marine biodiversity.

According to Baes, there are also reports in the town of San Juan, Batangas that private beach resorts have no proper waste disposal facilities causing pollution in the sea.

Nakakalungkot na kami na ngang mga mangingisda ang inagawan ng tirahan, kami pa ang nagiging tampulan ng sisi sa pagdumi at pagkasira ng karagatan. Gayung malinaw na ang pandarambong ng mga dambuhalang negosyante ang nangungunang dahilan ng pagkawasak ng mga bakawanan na siyang tirahan ng mga isda at pook-pangisdaan na siyang pinagkukunan ng kabuhayan naming mga mangingisda,”

“Nananawagan kami sa pamahalaan na imbestigahan ang lahat ng mga pribadong beach resort sa Batangas at ipatigil na ang lahat ng anyo ng kumbersyon at reklamasyon ng karagatan na sumisira sa yamang dagat at kabuhayan ng mga mangingisdang Pilipino,” added Baes.

PAMALAKAYA said there are a total of 106 reclamation projects covering 41, 967.56 hectares of inland and marine waters throughout the archipelago. The group said these projects will completely kill our marine resources and our fisherfolk. ###

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