Filipino fishermen express deep concerns over the environmental and social impacts of joint military exercises conducted by the United States in Philippine waters. They argue that these exercises disrupt their livelihoods, cause psychological trauma, and damage fragile marine ecosystems.
An alliance of small-scale and subsistence fishermen has expressed deep concerns over the detrimental impacts of joint military exercises conducted by the United States in Philippine waters. The Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Mangingisda (Pangisda-Pilipinas), representing the interests of Filipino fishermen, asserts that these exercises have severely disrupted their livelihoods, inflicted psychological trauma on coastal communities, and caused significant damage to marine ecosystems.
The controversy stems from recent joint exercises involving the USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group and Philippine Navy ships, including the Antonio Luna and Andres Bonifacio, near Palawan. These exercises, part of the Maritime Cooperative Activities (MCA) initiative, have raised alarm among fishermen. Pangisda-Pilipinas National Chairman Pablo Rosales states that explosives detonated during the exercises have decimated coral reefs, which are vital for marine life and the sustenance of coastal communities.Rosales explains that fishermen in Palawan and Zambales, many already struggling to make ends meet, have been forced to abandon their traditional fishing grounds. He emphasizes that areas declared off-limits during these exercises, often under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), deny them access to crucial fishing zones for weeks. Without adequate compensation or alternative livelihood programs from either the Philippine government or the US military, Rosales warns that many fishermen are plunged deeper into poverty, struggling to provide for their families. He further highlights the psychological toll of the military drills, noting that elderly residents are haunted by the echoes of gunfire and explosions, reawakening wartime trauma. Meanwhile, younger generations are becoming desensitized to violence, growing up in an increasingly militarized environment.
Military Social Issues Philippines Military Exercises Philippine Fishermen US Military Environmental Damage Social Impact Maritime Cooperative Activities (MCA) Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) Palawan Zambales
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