Pangilinan sounds alarm on shrinking catches for local fishers
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Kiko Pangilinan raised concern over the steady decline of catches for small-time fisherfolk after a Supreme Court (SC) ruling that allowed commercial fishing companies to fish in municipal waters.
Prior to the SC ruling, there was a 15-kilometer exclusive zone in municipal waters just for small-scale fisherfolk. The SC decided to uphold a smaller court’s ruling that it was unconstitutional for the Fisheries Code to grant preferential provisions.
“Malaki ang increase ng commercial fishing habang bagsak naman ang production ng inland municipal and marine municipal fisheries. So, doon pa lang makikita bakit gumanda 'yung huli ng commercial at bumagsak ang huli ng inland at small fishers,” Pangilinan said in a hearing on Wednesday, February 18.
(There has been a large increase in commercial fishing while there is a decline in the production of inland municipal and marine municipal fisheries. So, you can see why the catch of the commercial is improving and why there is a decline for inland, small fishers.)
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Pangilinan pointed out that as of February 2026, the output from municipal fisheries had declined from 879,961.58 metric tons in 2023 down to 749,366.40 metric tons in 2025.
However, commercial fisheries have increased their catch from 822,427.47 metric tons in 2023 up to 849,498.89 metric tons in 2025.
“There is a principle in the law that says substantial justice should be given more weight than these technicalities. Technicalities should not defeat substantial justice,” Pangilinan said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The Department of Agriculture has also disagreed with the SC, filing a motion for reconsideration that is currently pending before the Court.
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