Fisherfolk groups denounced the imposition of a two-day ‘no sail zone’ in the waters off Zambales, near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, to accommodate the US-Philippines Bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (BMCA) war games from May 28 to May 30. Fisherfolk said this severely impacts their livelihood, especially amid very high fuel prices. In April, a similar no sail policy was imposed here to make way for Balikatan 2026.

The fishing ban covered the towns of Sta. Cruz, Palauig, Candelaria, Masinloc, Iba, San Antonio, Botolan, Cabangan, San Felipe, San Narciso, and Subic. The New Masinloc Fishermen Association (NMFA), Zambales Provincial Fisherfolk Organization (ZPFO) and the progressive small-fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) issued statements against the no sail zone and the war games’ expected impact on the seas and marine resources.

NMFA president and ZPFO vice president Leonardo Cuaresma said they are operating at loss as they have no other source of income whenever a fishing ban is imposed. He added the war games have long-term effects beyond the ban period because they drive fish away and damage coral reefs.

Pamalakaya said these war games also fuel tensions in the Asia-Pacific, endangering Filipinos. “In fact, these activities will bring further tension to our territorial fishing grounds, where fisherfolk will also get caught in the conflict,” said Fernando Hicap, the group’s national chairperson.

This year marks the second no sail zone imposed in the province for war games. The national and local governments also imposed a similar ban for the Balikatan 2026 war games from April 20 to May 8. That ban adversely affected an estimated 4,840 fisherfolk from Subic.

“How can the Marcos administration sacrifice Filipinos’ right to fish on the altar of the US geopolitical agenda? In these miserable times, the last thing Filipino fisherfolk need are foreign troops conducting amphibious landing exercises in our fishing grounds and coastal communities,” Hicap added.