SUBIC, ZAMBALES, Philippines — Fisher Jerwin Cananea, 35, rarely fishes near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), unlike many of his fellow fishermen.
His fishing trips usually take him only 60 to 70 nautical miles (112 to 129 kilometers) off Subic. But even in those waters, he said, encounters with Chinese Coast Guard vessels have become increasingly common.
“We were still about 50 nautical miles from Subic, but there were already Chinese [Coast Guard vessels] there,” Cananea said while steering his boat on Sunday.
Instead of heading out to sea to fish, the Barangay Wawandue resident joined dozens of other fishers in a creative sea action marking the approaching 10th anniversary of the Philippines’ landmark arbitral victory in the WPS.
READ: AFP spots 44 Chinese vessels in West PH Sea, up from 17
Cananea said fishermen who venture closer to Scarborough Shoal face the worst harassment, but even those fishing nearer the coast have felt the impact of Chinese vessels operating closer to municipal waters, resulting in dwindling fish catches.
Scarborough Shoal, known for its rich fishing grounds and sheltered lagoon that serves as a refuge during storms, lies within the Philippines’ 370-km exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, which Manila refers to as the WPS.
READ: Fisherfolk to hold sea action in Subic ahead of WPS ruling anniversary
Sense of normalcy
“They come closer here [to our municipal waters], shadowing us,” Cananea said, recalling that Chinese vessels began operating nearer their fishing grounds during the Duterte administration.
“At first, it was surprising—why are they already here in Philippine waters? But we’ve gotten used to it.”
For Cananea, that growing sense of normalcy makes activities like Sunday’s gathering even more significant.
“It is important because it brings fishermen together to defend the WPS,” he said.
The event, organized by the Atin Ito Coalition in partnership with the New Masinloc Fishermen Association (NMFA), the Subic Commercial Fishers Association and the Samahan ng Cabangan-3 Fishermen’s Unity, kicked off a week-long commemoration leading to the 10th anniversary of the July 12, 2016, arbitral ruling.
Around 250 fisherfolk aboard 80 fishing boats and six mother boats assembled in Subic Bay, forming a human Philippine flag and spelling out the message: “WPS, ATIN ITO!”
Leonardo Cuaresma, president of the NMFA, said the activity represented more than a celebration of a legal victory.
“We are very happy because this is the first time that an activity like this has been held in our province, especially since our fishermen are among those affected by this dispute,” he said.
While some fishermen from Subic continue to fish near Scarborough Shoal, many from Masinloc, including Cuaresma, have completely abandoned the area after experiencing harassment and intimidation from the Chinese Coast Guard.
On July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, invalidating China’s sweeping claims over much of the South China Sea.
The decision was hailed as a landmark victory for the Philippines and a milestone in the long-running maritime dispute. Nearly a decade later, however, China continues to reject and ignore the ruling. /cb
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