We are people who have families to feed and not just dogs that you can shoo away.

By Veronika Barbosa

TACLOBAN CITY—Houses of 14 families in Barangay 88 Fisherman’s Village San Jose could be demolished after the affected residents got notices from the city government’s Fishery Law Enforcement Team (FLET).

In an interview with Bulatlat, Losanto Castillo, 67, president of Tacloban Fisherfolks Urban Association, said that they have received three notices from FLET to vacate their houses. “We were taken aback when we first received the notice on May 19. The letter states that we violated the City Ordinance No. 2023-13-138 or the prohibition of illegal structures such as houses within the ‘Marine Protected Area of Cancabato Bay.’”

Castillo said, “In response to the notice, we sent a letter requesting a meeting with FLET and the affected families. We needed clarification why, after all these years, the local government decided to kick us out of our houses and away from our livelihood.”

“We believe that there should have been a proper consultation before they [FLET] sent out the notice. There should also be a negotiation between the city government and the families affected,” Castillo stressed. 

Instead of heeding their request for a meeting, Castillo said that FLET sent a second notice on June 11. “We received the third one in July and there was still no response to the letter sent by our association up to this day.” 

Castillo said that the fisherfolk and their families are worried over the impending demolition of their houses. “We are all stressing about the demolition threat. Personally, I have lived here for almost half of my life and invested so much to build our own house. After Yolanda, we were allowed by the barangay to build our houses here, so I do not understand why they want us out and away from our main source of income.” 

“The fisherfolk and their families rely on fishing as their main source of income. What will become of us if our houses near the ocean are demolished? Why do they not want to meet with us? How can we assure that there will be a proper relocation site for us let alone any livelihood assistance?” Castillo asked. “If the government is genuine about protecting Cancabato Bay, why did Mayor Romualdez allow a reclamation such as the Causeway Project that damaged mangroves, seagrass, and corals which ultimately affected marine life? Are we [fishers] the ones who inflicted that much damage to Cancabato Bay?”

Anita Vertulfo, a clam digger and vendor, expressed her apprehensions over the demolition threat. “After Yolanda, we were relocated to a resettlement area in Norte (Northern part of Tacloban). We still come here to Fisherman’s [Village] because this is where we can dig clams to sell. That is the only sustainable livelihood that I know.”

Vertulfo said that she and her family prefer to live in San Jose not only because of being near the ocean where they would dig clams to be sold but also because of the scarcity of potable water in the resettlement area in Norte and the lack of opportunities to earn a living. “I have three children who are still studying. It would be very difficult to make ends meet if our house here in Fisherman’s [Village] gets demolished.”

Read: A decade-long suffering: Yolanda survivors still deprived of essential services

Vertulfo called on the city mayor, FLET, and barangay officials of Fisherman’s Village to hear the concerns of the fisherfolk whose families will be greatly impacted should the demolition push through. “We are people who have families to feed and not just dogs that you can shoo away.” (AMU, DAA)