MANILA — Francis Pangilinan expressed concern over the decline in income and catch of small-scale fisherfolk following a Supreme Court of the Philippines ruling that opened the 15-kilometer municipal water zone, previously reserved for small fishers, to commercial fishing.

Speaking at the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform hearing on February 18, Pangilinan, who chairs the committee, noted that marine municipal fisheries and inland municipal fisheries production fell steadily after the court’s August 2024 resolution.

“So, malaki ang increase ng commercial fishing habang bagsak naman ang production ng inland municipal and marine municipal fisheries. So, doon pa lang makikita bakit gumanda yung huli ng commercial at bumagsak ang huli ng inland at small fishers,” he said.

He stressed the importance of local government data in highlighting the struggles of small-scale fisherfolk.

“Yung pagiging hindi makatarungan ay mapapatunayan dahil nga sa pagbagsak ng kita ng ating mga maliliit na mangingisda kaya yung impormasyon po na galing sa LGU—dahil kayo po ang frontliner sa ating serbisyo publiko—mahalaga po iyon,” he added.

Philippine Statistics Authority data as of February 2026 showed that marine municipal fisheries declined from 879,961.58 metric tons in 2023 to 802,860.03 metric tons in 2024 and 749,366.40 metric tons in 2025, while commercial fisheries production increased from 822,427.47 metric tons in 2023 to 868,324.25 metric tons in 2024, before slightly dropping to 849,498.89 metric tons in 2025.

“Kung sino pa yung mahirap lalong humihirap sa halip na bigyan ng proteksyon,” Pangilinan lamented. “Meron naman prinsipyo sa batas na substantial justice should be given more weight than these technicalities. Technicalities should not defeat substantial justice.”

A motion for reconsideration is currently pending before the Supreme Court. The August 2024 resolution arose from a case originally filed with the Malabon Regional Trial Court, which struck down provisions of the Fisheries Code granting exclusive fishing rights to small-scale fisherfolk within municipal waters. The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), through the Office of the Solicitor General, failed to file timely appeals.

Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro Mayor Walter Marquez, a resource person during the hearing, criticized the national government and its agencies for failing to protect small-scale fishers.

“So, ang decision pong ito—at ang pagpayag na makapasok ang mga commercial fishers—ay malaki pong epekto sa kabuhayan ng mga maliliit na mangingisda sa ating bayan,” he said, noting Sablayan’s marine protected areas, including the Apo Reef Natural Park.

He added that allowing commercial fishing in municipal waters worsens opportunities for small fisherfolk to catch fish near their communities.

“So, sa pagpasok po ng mga malakihang palakaya sa ating pong pambayang-tubigan, ay higit pa natin pinawala, pinalala ang sitwasyon na magkaroon ng pagkakataon ang mga maliliit na mangingisda na makahuli sa malapit lamang o sa yun tinawag nating municipal waters. Sa pagtingin po ng mga lokal na pamahalaan ay isa pong malaking kasalanan ang hindi po magampanan ng ating mga pinagkakatiwalaan ang kanilang pangunahing trabaho,” he said.

Pangilinan reaffirmed his support for local governments contesting the Supreme Court decision, citing the crucial role of fisherfolk and farmers in national food security. NGOs including Rare Philippines, OCEANA, SINAG, and Samahang Magbabangus ng Pangasinan (SAMAPA) also submitted position papers to the committee.