Following the recent fuel price surge, Jamlo Villaber, 52, a fisherman in the Municipality of Cordova, is struggling to earn a living from harvesting sea urchins, locally known as “swaki.” He sails out twice a day, with his daily fuel expenses rising from around P400 to as much as P700. On a good day, he harvests four to five pails of sea urchins, which he sells for P150 per pail, earning approximately P750. Jamlo travels to a nearby gasoline station to fill a five-liter container for his small boat before heading to the waters near Pandanon Island. He has four children, including a 13-year-old who is still in school.

De Vela, J. C. (2026, March 15). Fuel hikes sinking fishermen's earnings. SunStar Cebu, p. 5.