Fishers doubt her stance on coastal ecotourism

LUCENA CITY—While praising her for her standing steadfastly against mining, a militant group has urged incoming Environment Secretary Regina Lopez to also oppose ecotourism projects that displace fisherfolk from their communities.

Salvador France, vice chair of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), described Lopez’s appointment as a “welcome development,” but he put her to task for her support of ecotourism projects, especially in coastal areas.

In a statement, France said he considered Lopez an ally against large-scale mining in Verde Island Passage (VIP), a biodiversity-rich strait which separates Luzon mainland and Mindoro island and along which almost 8 million fishers, farmers and indigenous people live.

Pamalakaya argued that development projects like ecotourism were no different from wanton mining exploration as both endangered fishing communities. “Water-based ecotourism projects are tried and tested; fisherfolk families and residents along the coast were always wiped out beforehand,” he said.

He stressed that it would seem bad if the next Department of Environment and Natural Resources head would favor and approve massive reclamation and the sellout of coastlines for conversion into beach resorts with floating hotels at the expense of fisherfolk’s lives and livelihood.

“This is a strong reminder to Secretary Gina Lopez that we are always ready to oppose and frustrate any attempts to transform the productive fishing waters into moneymaking ventures of big business-magnates,” France said. Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon