𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐏𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐈𝐔𝐔 Fishing 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦

QUEZON CITY — Fishworkers from across the Philippines convened on October 28-29, 2026 to demand stronger enforcement of labor laws and responsible fishing practices within the country’s commercial fishing industry.

Organized by the Tambuyog Development Center and the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), the National Fishworkers Forum brought together representatives of civil society organizations and crew members from Navotas City and the provinces of Mindoro, Quezon, Palawan, Cebu, and Sarangani. The gathering highlighted the urgent need to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing while simultaneously improving working conditions for those at sea.

Participants voiced widespread concerns over the lack of decent work standards in the sector. Many fishers operate under informal arrangements that leave them vulnerable to exploitation and without basic protections.

Key issues raised during the two-day event included informal employment, weak labor standards, inadequate occupational safety and health measures, gaps in social protection, and the persistence of child labor.

The discussions were grounded in findings from recent action research, which drew on direct consultations with fishworkers and case studies from coastal areas where fishing communities are concentrated.

To provide legal context, resource persons from the International Labour Organization (ILO) presented the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188). Representatives from the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), specifically the Bureau of Working Conditions, also outlined existing national laws and policies designed to protect maritime workers.