their catch in their neighborhood or at the market and the other half rests and recharge for the next
days’ fishing. The materials they use in fishing are nylon, fishing net, and ice case. They also need
gasoline for their boats.
Inconsistency of income is one of their problems because their earnings depend on the
number of fish caught. They can earn ranging from 200 – 1,500 pesos. When they catch a good
amount of fish, they can buy essential goods such as food for their families and materials for fishing.
However, there are days that they tend to loan money from stores so they can feed themselves and
their families when the sales are not good.
Almost half of the interviewees are registered with 4Ps while some are registered with
BFAR. However, there are a few who are unsure whether or not their registration is still valid. Most
of them said that there is a sea patrol in their area like coast guards and maritime personnel who
watch over them and are there whenever they need assistance.
For decisions related to fishing, women are not encouraged to speak up or make
contributions in decision making. Their participation is only in selling the catch. Despite the
silencing, women still think that they are given enough attention in the sector they are in because
they feel that they are secured. In the sea, there are coast guards and maritime personnel that
protect the fishermen. In the land, on the other hand, there are barangay tanod and policemen who
protect them while they are selling their catch.
3.
Access to information, resources, and food production
Some of them knew that once they are caught with an expired license, the authorities will
just give them a chance to renew their license before arresting them. Others have no idea what that
is all about. Furthermore, few fisherfolks knew that when someone is caught on the sea by the
authorities, the barangay is there to help or assist them with their needs. Also, they knew that they
need to register their boats for them to be assisted easily when the need arises.
“I don’t know because I do not know how to read/ write.”, the common answer of the
interviewees when asked if they know the rights of women as stipulated in the Magna Carta of
Women and benefits as fisherfolk. They asserted that there is no way for them to know the rights
they have since no one invited them to join meetings or seminars within their area to inform them
about it. But despite these inadequacies, the interviewees shared that some of them were able to
receive things such as plywood, ice case/ box, and also boat and machine for fishing. Moreover, in
this time of the pandemic, they were able to receive goods from the government such as the 25
kilos of rice, food pack, and cash worth P5,000.00, which is not enough to sustain their daily needs.
They are also being reminded by the local government to always wear a face mask and face shield.
4.
Experiences of Marginalization, Stigma, Discrimination
The respondents shared that their daily earnings are only enough to feed themselves for the
day which gives them a headache whenever there’s no extra money left for other expenses. They
can eat three times a day only whenever their husbands had a good catch. On the contrary, if the
daily catch is not good, they only eat twice a day, or sometimes, they do not eat for that day. They
also stated that the authorities are responsive to their needs. They were able to receive assistance
such as financial assistance for medical bills and other such as certifications, identification cards,
and permits for their “Bangka”.