FISHERFOLK from Zambales on Tuesday opposed the no-sail zone policy that will be implemented within the 18-day joint military exercises of Philippine and United States forces.   

Bobby Roldan, Luzon vice chairman of the fishermen’s group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA), said the military exercises would disrupt their livelihood at peak fishing season.   

“The Filipinos do not deserve to be displaced from their livelihood only to provide security blanket to foreign forces carrying out war games accompanied with live fire exercises in our fishing grounds,” he said. 

PAMALAKAYA said it is still assessing the number of fishermen affected by the temporary no-sail zone, which covers the coastal towns of San Antonio, San Narciso, San Felipe, Cabangan, and Botolan in the province of Zambales.  

The annual exercises known as Balikatan, which means shoulder-to-shoulder, are part of a defense agreement between the two countries. It is scheduled this year from April 11 to 28 and will be held in different parts of the Philippines.   

This year’s joint military drills, considered the largest ever with over 17,000 Filipino and American soldiers participating, comes amid rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea.  

“The Marcos administration should heed the objection of Filipino fishers against Balikatan, which is a threat both to socio-economic rights and national security,” said Mr. Roldan. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

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