Navotas City fisherfolk under the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya)-Navotas once again picketed on September 25 at the Navotas Regional Trial Court (RTC) at the same time as the court heard their petition against the local government’s demolition of their mussel farms and crab traps. On June 14, 400 petitioners filed the petition for the court to issue a writ of preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order (TRO) against the demolition.

Thousands of fisherfolk, workers and city vendors lost their livelihoods due to the demolition of hundreds of shanties along the Navotas City coast. Demolition began on March 16, covering more than six kilometers in length and three kilometers in width.

The residents know that there is no truth to the local government’s claim that the removal of their mussel farms and crab traps is based on the Supreme Court 2008 mandamus that ordered the cleaning of Manila Bay. They said that the demolition is clearly for the 650-hectare Navotas Bay Reclamation Project being pushed by the local government and its partner Argonbay Construction Company. Argonbay is a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation owned by Ramon Ang.

In the petition, the residents also asked the court for the local government to return their demolished shelters.

The Navotas Bay Reclamation Project is one of the 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Data from the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) in 2023 said there are 187 existing and approved reclamation projects nationwide.