Fisherfolk call on Palace to sign EO on Manila Bay

The prime mover of the Saradong Manila Bay (SMB) Campaign, the Kalipunan ng Maliliit na Mangingisda sa Manila Bay (Kalmada), is calling on President Estrada to sign its proposed executive order creating the Manila Bay Management and Development Council (MBMDC).

Kalmada is a group of 10,000 municipal fisherfolk that has been pushing for the seven-year closure of Manila Bay from commercial fishing.

"Manila Bay, because of its very degraded state, has been excluded in the Philippine Fisheries Resource Management Program (FRMP) in order to treat it exclusively. Yet there has never been a special body nor a special management program for the bay. This has adversely affected our fish catch from 50 kilos a day to only three to five kilos. Through the creation of the council, the marginalized fisherfolk could have a voice and the power to push for fisheries reform," said Kalmada spokesman Arnel Viray.

Kalmada’s proposed executive order pushes for the creation of the MBMDC which will assess, formulate and implement strategic and medium-term management plans for the area.

The MBMDC will be a policy and implementation body solely created for Manila Bay. Its tasks will include an annual assessment of Manila Bay, study and review of existing policies and proposed amendments aimed at alleviating poverty among marginalized fisherfolk, and setting up of a task force to strictly enforce the ban on all active fishing gear in Manila Bay (pursuant to Fisheries Administrative Order 201).