Robredo urges protection of Filipino fishermen

NAGA CITY – Vice President Leni Robredo said the protection and welfare of the fishermen across the country should be a priority.

She said the major concern of the Filipino fisherfolk right now was their protection against huge foreign vessels fishing inside the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“How can we protect the small (fishermen) against the big (fishermen)?” she said in an interview with the media here Wednesday.

She said most of the small fishermen could not do their jobs freely because they are helpless against the big fishers.

Last Sunday, Robredo went to San Jose, Occidental Mindoro to visit the 22 fishermen, whose boat was allegedly rammed by a Chinese trawler at the Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea.

Until now, it’s not clear as to why the Chinese vessel was inside the disputed sea despite the International tribunal ruling that favored the Philippines. (Editor: Leti Boniol)