MASINLOC, Philippines – A row of fishing boats docked along the shore of Sitio Matalvis glistened under a clear night sky. Fisherman Jonathan Miñoza, 47, sat on one of them as he recalled how his community’s lives started to change over a decade ago.

“Our catches have decreased. Ever since the Chinese took over Scarborough Shoal, our earnings have declined as well,” Miñoza said in an interview.

Scarborough Shoal, a high-tide rock located 124 nautical miles off Zambales coast within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, offers abundant marine resources and also serves as a natural shelter for fisherfolk against harsh weather at sea.

China Coast Guard vessels permanently stationed by the mouth of the shoal have barred Filipino fisherfolk, as well as those from other countries, from entering. This is in violation of a Hague tribunal’s ruling in 2016, which declares the shoal as a traditional fishing grounds for several nations, including the Philippines, China, and Vietnam.

“If you go beyond (their boundary), a boat will approach and intercept you. They will push you back, and if you don’t listen, they will use water cannons on you. If you still don’t obey, they will ram into your boat,” Miñoza said matter-of-factly.

Fisherfolk bore the brunt of the consequences of China’s unlawful control of Scarborough Shoal, locally known as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc. Limited access to the area has led to fishers’ low catch volume, especially of high-value seafood, exacerbating their financial woes.

This is compounded by the fact that they rely on loans to finance their fishing trips. When their catch is meager, they end up in a difficult situation with minimal to no returns to offset their expenses, leaving them almost nothing for their families.

“There are indeed days when we don’t earn anything; when we have just enough catch to put food on our family’s table. On other occasions, we face what we refer to as a “bukol.” It’s a time when there’s simply nothing to catch,” Miñoza said, describing how China’s unlawful control over Scarborough Shoal impacted their lives.

When asked about how they cope when they encounter “bukol,” Miñoza said that they fall into the cycle of borrowing money. “Our expenses when heading out to sea include gasoline. We are already in debt if we don’t catch anything, so we have to borrow again for that. It leads to being buried in debt. Most of us still haven’t escaped from debt until now because our earnings are not sufficient”, he explained.

Many of the fisherfolk also take on other jobs, including squid baiting, fish vending, and doing manual labor for private boat owners, to augment income.

As their livelihoods hinge on the market demand for their products and services, they seldom have a stable fallback plan in times of need.

The establishment of ULAC

Then in 2020, an opportunity opened up for the community. Impl Project Philippines (IPP), a United States-based non-profit founded in 2016, chose Masinloc to be one of its project beneficiaries.

With funding from the US government, the Unified Livelihood Agriculture Cooperative (ULAC) was established in the municipality to help lessen the maritime dispute’s direct impact on the fisherfolk community. Not long after, Miñoza was elected chairman, heading 60 fisherfolk members.

With ULAC, participants could access low-interest loans and participate in a range of workshops, including business finance, ocean conservation, first aid, and responsible seafood sourcing, among others. IPP also provided the community with fishing equipment, such as radios, fishfinders, and fish aggregating devices (FADs), also known as payaos.

“They initially provided us with four payaos. And as our fish catch increased, our operations expanded,” Vicente Berosil, ULAC treasurer, said in an interview.

This expansion and increased income have allowed the group to thrive early on. They allocated these earnings to their cooperative fund, which they then use to offer rice and cash loans to members in times of need, especially during canceled fishing trips due to bad weather.

Major challenges

While the community has gained a lot from ULAC in the last three years, major challenges now hound the cooperative’s future.

The number of ULAC members has been dwindling since its establishment. From the initial 60 members, they are now down to 41.

“Some left voluntarily due to their inability to attend meetings or maintain attendance,” explained Basarte. They tried to convince them, he said, but the ultimate decision lies with the individuals.

A big challenge, too, is the impending departure of IPP, the main supporter of ULAC. IPP is on its way out of Masinloc as the project nears its end. This means the cooperative would have to be fully managed and sustained by the fisherfolk themselves. ULAC also faces the imminent loss of its office.

“We are currently facing difficulties. If IPP leaves us, we won’t have the capability to rent an office space for our operations,” said Miñoza.

Asked about ULAC’s sustainability, Alfredo Zabate, the cooperative’s vice chairperson, admitted he is not sure of it but said he believes that “as long as the members get along, I think it will last.”

Another problem the group faces is the challenging political environment in the municipality.

Tatang*, an ULAC member who refused to be identified for fear of retribution, claimed that the local government has declined to issue permits to ULAC and other groups because these would effectively compete with the government-backed cooperative.

“They refuse to recognize any other cooperative because they have established one of their own. Their aim is for it to be the sole cooperative in our area, with all local fisherfolk becoming its members,” said Tatang.

“Our names are just being used to reflect more members (in the cooperative) so they can get more funds from the national government,” he added.

Leonardo Cuaresma, president of the New Masinloc Fisherman’s Association, expressed a similar sentiment. In a separate interview, Cuaresma lamented how the municipal government prioritized helping political allies in the community.

“It should not be the case. I already relayed my concern the first time they were in power but nothing happened. We are all fisherfolk needing assistance here,” Cuaresma said in an interview in Manila on Oct. 2.

The writer repeatedly sought the comments of the Masinloc local government and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), the government agency responsible for promoting the growth and development of cooperatives, but they have yet to respond as of posting.

On top of all these, ULAC faces a more pressing concern: the lack of lantsa, or open-deck motor boats that could be used to sail to farther areas and carry heavier catch.

Without their own vessel, ULAC members, like many other fisherfolk in the community, engage in a 70%-30% profit-sharing arrangement in favor of private boat owners. The 30% is shared among the onboard crew. For ULAC members, this share is further divided as part of it is turned over to their cooperative funds.

“We manage our finances meticulously, reinvesting funds into the cooperative to offer accessible cash and rice loans to every member, ensuring minimal interest for their benefit,” Miñoza said.

Sustaining Efforts

Despite the imminent threats to their sustainability, ULAC members and their families continue their collective efforts.

ULAC’s fisherfolk, despite their busy schedules, remained committed to holding regular assessment meetings.

“The cooperative offers me an extra source of income,” Zabate said.

“In a way, being part of a cooperative is like having our personal savings account. Come year-end, we can savor the fruits of our labor and, to some extent, have funds for our Christmas celebrations,” he added.

The fishers’ wives and partners, too, have been actively participating in the group’s events. They would attend meetings on behalf of their partners during their days-long fishing trips. They would also accompany ULAC’s visiting guests introducing them to the community.

“It’s essential to understand how your family’s livelihood is sustained—not only through your husband’s fishing at sea but also through his involvement in cooperative ventures,” Gina Basarte shared.

“You shouldn’t rely solely on your husband as the cooperative member; you should also be informed about how your family earns its income because you, too, benefit from it,” she added.

The fate of ULAC hangs in the balance, as the cooperative finds itself increasingly on its own.

Faced with the challenges of membership insecurity, the lack of open-deck motor boats, and a challenging political environment, fisherfolk must swiftly seek sustainable solutions. Otherwise, they would likely revert to the short-term solutions.

As uncertainty looms, establishing a safety net for their daily income is now more crucial than ever before.

*not his real identity

Photo: Jed Caasi, Elena Catipunan