Fifty bishops from the Catholic Church joined the call of small fisherfolk against the Supreme Court’s decision allowing the fishing of large companies in municipal waters. Among them is Caloocan diocese bishop and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David.

“If the courts’ decisions become final and executory, our municipal fishers…will face unfair and unjust competition from commercial fishers,” the bishops said. They will be further plunged into hunger, poverty and loss of livelihood and shelter, they said. The bishops called the big companies’ grabbing of small fisherfolk’s resources as “greed.”

The bishops are referring to the Supreme Court’s resolution that upheld the Malabon Regional Trial Court’s decision favoring the petition of the Mercidar Fishing Corporation, a large fishing company, to allow it to fish in municipal waters. Municipal waters cover the waters within 15 kilometers from the coast, including inland waters like rivers, streams, lakes and others.

Fisherfolk swiftly opposed and condemned the ruling. According to Pamalakaya, it will destroy the livelihood of nearly 2 million fisherfolk who rely on small and relatively backward fishing in municipal waters. Large companies will destroy sea resources as their large ships that often use destructive equipment and will damage the seas.

The church urged believers to join in defending the “sanctity of creation and the dignity of fisherfolk.” They said policymakers should make humanity’s “common home” a priority and promote a sustainable ocean.

The statement was released on February 1 in a press conference, and will be read in all churches in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao on February 2.