Over 2,000 Masinloc fishermen displaced due to shoal row

Scarborough Shoal

MASINLOC, Zambales – Over 2000 fishermen are now unable to fish in Scarborough Shoal as a result of the ownership dispute between the Philippines and China, Mayor Desiree Edora said here Wednesday.

An estimated 80 percent of the revenue of the municipality comes from fishing with each fisherman being able to catch up to a ton of fish per trip, Edora said.

Miguel Betana, a fisherman here for 12 years, said that they were not doing anything now but paint their boats.

Macario Corones, a boat owner, said that some of the fishermen he hired have gone back to their hometown in Cebu because they could not fish due to the standoff that started in April.
Vice Mayor Jeffrey Bautista is confident that the Philippines will get the shoal upon resolution by the United Nations.