Palawan Fisherfolk complain that US Exercises in SCS lowers their Catches, destroys the Environment

Palawan Fisherfolk complain that US Exercises in SCS lowers their Catches, destroys the Environment, drags Philippines into War

A Group of Fisherfolk from Palawan anonymously reported to "The Manila Times (TMT)" News Publication how the presence of United States (US) Military Assets in the South China Sea (SCS) is disrupting their Livelihoods in the Area.

Quoting the Fishermen, which said in Filipino but translated to English here: "We are not Soldiers, but we are the first Casualties in this Conflict. Every time there is a Military Exercise, we lose access to Traditional Fishing Grounds. Explosions in the Sea drive away Fish, and Pollution resulting from Military Drills poisons the Waters. It's destroying our Livelihood."

They also said that Live Ammunition Drills cause Irreparable Environmental Damage, and that Missile Fragments, Gunpowder and Fuel Spills disrupt Marine Ecosystems, harming Coral Reefs and depleting Fish Stocks.

This results in lower Volume of their Catches, further worsening their Economic Hardships. They also complained about how the US thru these Exercises is dragging the Philippines into a Geopolitical Conflict with China.

Quoting again the Fisherfolk: "The United States is using the Philippines as a Pawn against China, but what do we get in return? We get harassment at Sea, tighter restrictions on where we can Fish, and an Economy that keeps getting worse. We want Jobs, not War. We want Long-Term Solutions, not Band-Aid Aid Packages".

"We demand Peace, not Provocation. We demand a future where we can fish freely, without fear".

Here is the Link to the Article at TMT: https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/04/02/news/national/us-military-presence-harmful-to-fishing-communities/2084446

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