The Diocese of Bacolod has called on lawmakers, local officials, and the judiciary to reexamine a Supreme Court (SC) decision allowing commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal waters. In a pastoral statement released May 27, Bishop Patricio Buzon emphasized the severe impact of the ruling on marginalized coastal communities in Negros Occidental, where more than 45,000 small fishers depend on these waters for survival. “Our small-scale fisherfolk are not merely workers of the sea, but they too play a vital role in food security and sustainable development, and yet they are often excluded from decision-making processes that directly affect their survival,” the bishop said.

Jopson, G. M. (2025, June 2). Bacolod diocese urges review of commercial fishing ruling. DailyGuardian, pp. 1, 11.