Fishers from the Pawa Fisherfolk Association, under the Lakas ng Maliliit na Mangingisda ng Bicol (LAMBAT-Bicol), are demanding an investigation and accountability from the Albay Agro-Industrial Development Corporation (ALINDECO) for dumping chemical waste into the sea in Tabaco City, Albay, for decades.

ALINDECO processes abaca used to make specialty paper. The company exports its products to Japan, China, Germany and other countries in Asia and Europe. Generations of fishers along the coast of Tabaco City have complained about the damage caused by the factory since it opened in 1978.

LAMBAT-Bicol said the company dumps production waste into the waters off Tabaco City, destroying the environment and the fishers’ livelihoods.

The health of nearby residents and fishers is also affected. They experience skin irritation and sores whenever they are exposed to the dirty water from the plant. In Barangay Pawa alone, more than 300 fishers have complained about the damage caused by the company.

Due to the pollution, newly planted mangrove cuttings are struggling to grow after the coastline was soaked by the chemicals the company dumps into the sea.

Fishers and residents have long reported the company’s damage to the Tabaco City local government and to agencies that should be helping them, such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). However, their complaints remain unaddressed.

LAMBAT-Bicol stressed that ALINDECO and other corporations that destroy the environment and people’s livelihoods must be held accountable. The fishers will not remain silent until the government addresses their call for safety and sustainable livelihoods.