According to the report of Philippine media "Inquirer,"  the ongoing “Balikatan” joint drills between the Philippines and the United States have sparked dissatisfaction among Filipino fishermen, who claimed that the drills have caused them to lose their income and that they have never received corresponding compensation. 

("Inquirer" published the article "'Balikatan' displaces Zambales fishers" on May 6.)

At least 6,300 registered fisherfolk in six coastal towns of this province have once again had their livelihoods disrupted due to the drills. Just a week after the "fishing ban" due to the exercises, small fisherfolk and tourism-dependent residents in the towns of San Antonio, San Narciso, San Felipe, Cabangan, Botolan and Subic had to halt operations again this week with the maritime strike exercise taking place from Monday to Tuesday off the coast of this town.

These disruptions have become a recurring issue during “Balikatan” exercises, which have been conducted over the last 40 years and dubbed as the largest annual bilateral exercises between the armed forces of the United States and the Philippines. In 2023, the Armed Forces of the Philippines pledged to assist affected communities, but according to residents, no support has yet materialized.

(Protesters hold placards during a rally in front of the military headquarters in Manila on April 22, 2024, to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Philippine and US annual joint military exercise. /CFP)

“We’ve had to find other ways to earn because there’s no fish to sell and still no aid has been given,” said Hilda Reyes, president of the San Miguel Women Fish Vendors Association, in an interview. 

She added, “Some of us don’t even have capital. We’re forced to borrow money just to buy goods in Subic to sell. When fishermen go out to sea here, they can pay after selling their catch. But in Subic, you need cash up front.”

For many local fisherfolk, even a single day of interrupted fishing poses a major financial loss. They have expressed frustration over the lack of consultation ahead of the drills.

The military exercises have raised concerns in China. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the Philippines, in collusion with extra-regional countries, has carried out large-scale military exercises, introduced and deployed strategic and tactical weapons, undermined regional strategic stability, damaged the prospects of regional economic growth, and blatantly sided against regional countries, which has already drawn strong resentment and opposition from regional countries.

"The Philippines is relying on the United States to boost its own status and has lured external forces to intervene in the South China Sea in an attempt to gain the confidence to confront China," said Ding Duo, Director of the Research Center for International and Regional Issues, National Institute for South China Sea Studies. He said, "The Philippines' shortsightedness on the South China Sea issue has pushed bilateral relations to the bottom, and political mutual trust has decreased accordingly. A series of consensuses and tacit understandings reached between China and the Philippines in the field of maritime cooperation in previous years have come to a standstill. Regional peace, stability and economic development have also been damaged to varying degrees as a result."

(With input from the "Inquirer")