MANILA, Philippines -- A militant fisherfolk group Tuesday asked former senator and current Philippine Reclamation Authority chair Ramon Revilla Sr., and his sons, Bacoor Mayor Strike Revilla and Senator Ramon” Bong” Revilla Jr. to stop an P8-billion reclamation project along the coastal shores of Cavite province.

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the reclamation of about 7,500 hectares of Cavite's foreshore land off Bacoor, Kawi, Rosario, Binakayan, Noveleta and Cavite City would affect 26,000 fishing families.

"This project is nothing but a roaring cyclone that would practically destroy everything. The people's livelihood and the environment are being sacrificed at the altar of corporate takeover and interest. We strongly urge the Revilla clan to put an end to this reclamation frenzy and let the coastal families continue with their day-to-day life,” Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap told reporters.

According to Hicap, the connection of the Revillas was “well established” in the reclamation activities along Cavite’s coastal areas, adding that the reclamation was a “pet project” of the Revilla clan and approved by Malacañang.

“First the senior Revilla is the chair of PRA, the government agency in-charge of reclaiming and selling these reclaimed portions of Manila Bay to developers. Second, Strike Revilla is the mayor of Bacoor, where the project would start; and third, Senator Revilla is the chair of the Senate committee on public works and highways. This leads to a logical conclusion that the Revillas are solidly behind this project,” he said.

Pamalakaya said there were reports that the PRA, formerly the Public Estates Authority, was offering P20,000 per family whose tahungan (mussel growing) enterprises along Manila Bay were first cleared to give way to the reclamation project. Most of the fisherfolk along Cavite coastal towns are mussel growers.

"We would like to tell the Revillas that the compensation for destroyed tahungan is not really main concern of the fisherfolk. What they need is the rehabilitation and protection of their main source of livelihood main source of livelihood and assurance they would be no future reclamation activities along coastal areas” the group said.

Pamalakaya said the reclamation of 4,000 hectares of Bacoor's coastal areas is part of the government's plan to revive the Sangley Point as a major modern logistical hub with seaport and airport that would be provided by reclaimed areas from Bacoor to Cavite City.

The reclamation is also intended to extend the Cavite-Manila Coastal Road project from Bacoor to Kawit, Cavite. Pamalakaya said the seven-kilometer stretch of new road will also affect other nearby towns such as Naic and Tanza.

“[There is a] robbery in broad daylight with Malacañang, PRA and the powerful clans of Cavite engaged in conspiracy to deprive the fishers and urban poor of Bacoor their basic socio-economic and human rights in the name of corporate agenda and promising huge kickbacks," the group added.