PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas

03/08/2026

INQUIRER FILES MANILA, Philippines — Labor groups on Monday renewed calls to lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) suspending the P85 daily minimum wage increase in Metro Manila, saying it

29/07/2026

𝗔𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗠𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸’𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁
𝗥𝗲: 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗲 & 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗮𝘆

𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺,

Warm greetings from Earth Island Institute Asia Pacific (EII-AP)!

We are writing to express our deep concern over Unang Hirit’s July 23, 2026 feature on Ocean Adventure Subic Bay, which showcased captive dolphins through live performances and interactive encounters on World Whale and Dolphin Day.

While the segment may have been intended as lighthearted entertainment, it also served as an endorsement of dolphin captivity before a nationwide audience. Television has the power to shape public perceptions, particularly among children and families. When captive marine mammals are portrayed as attractions to visit, touch, and interact with—without presenting the scientific, ethical, and conservation issues surrounding captivity—the public may come away with the impression that these practices are harmless, educational, or even beneficial to wildlife.

As one of the country’s most influential morning programs, Unang Hirit reaches millions of Filipinos every day. With that reach comes an opportunity and a responsibility to help audiences better understand wildlife conservation and promote responsible, science-based ways of appreciating marine life.

The timing of the broadcast was particularly unfortunate. World Whale and Dolphin Day traces its origins to the historic 1982 decision of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to adopt a global moratorium on commercial whaling, which took effect in 1986. Since then, the occasion has become a global call to celebrate whales and dolphins in the wild while promoting their protection and conservation—not their commercial exploitation for entertainment.

Yet on a day dedicated to cetacean conservation, Unang Hirit chose to feature dolphin performances and close-contact interactions in Ocean Adventure. This was especially ironic considering that the facility has been linked to the importation and commercial holding of wild-caught dolphins from the Solomon Islands, as well as animals associated with the brutal Taiji, Japan dolphin hunts documented in The Cove.

The Philippines is a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which seeks to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Many cetacean species, including bottlenose dolphins, are listed under Appendix II. Philippine law likewise recognizes the need to regulate trade involving CITES-listed aquatic species through the Philippine Fisheries Code to help ensure their conservation.

Scientific evidence shows that captivity severely restricts the natural behaviors of dolphins. These highly intelligent, social, and wide-ranging marine mammals naturally live in close-knit family groups, communicate through sophisticated vocalizations, and travel tens to hundreds of kilometers each day. Confinement compromises their welfare and has consistently been associated with chronic stress, abnormal repetitive behaviors, and reduced opportunities to express their natural behaviors.

This is also not the first time Unang Hirit has promoted dolphin captivity. In 2021, the program featured celebrities swimming with captive dolphins at the same facility, reflecting a pattern of presenting captive dolphin interactions as desirable tourism experiences despite longstanding scientific, ethical, and conservation concerns surrounding the industry.

The future of marine conservation depends not only on stronger policies, but also an informed and aware public. As one of the country’s leading media institutions, GMA has an important role in shaping that awareness. The stories presented in mainstream media influence how millions of Filipinos understand wildlife, conservation, and our relationship with nature.

We respectfully encourage GMA Network and Unang Hirit to use their platform to highlight ethical wildlife tourism, marine science, and genuine conservation initiatives that keeps dolphins where they belong – in the wild. The Philippines is home to extraordinary opportunities to observe dolphins responsibly in their natural habitats, and these are the stories that deserve greater visibility.

We offer this letter in the spirit of constructive dialogue. Earth Island Institute Asia Pacific would be pleased to provide scientific resources, connect your team with marine mammal experts, or collaborate on future stories that advance marine conservation and responsible ecotourism.

Dolphins belong in the ocean – not in tanks.

Keep Them Safe. Keep Them Wild. Keep Them Free.

Sincerely,
Earth Island Institute-Asia Pacific

28/07/2026

IN THE NEWS | Pamalakaya National Chairperson Fernando Hicap argued that the government has “yielded” the country’s natural resources, territory, and sovereignty through economic agreements with the United States (US) and its allies, particularly the proposed Pax Silica initiative and the Luzon Economic Corridor.

A fisherman gazes toward the open sea while aboard his boat off the coast of Zambales (Photos by Joanna Rose Aglibot) OLONGAPO CITY — A fisherfolk group and a farmers’ organization on

28/07/2026

NEWS | “Small fishers from across different provinces traveled to Manila to present the actual situation of the fishing sector which is based on the day-to-day experiences and struggles for daily survival.

This is contrary to President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address, which is always far from reality,” Pamalakaya vice chairperson Ronnel Arambulo said in a statement.

Small-scale fishers from several provinces bring their grievances to the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday, hours before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address

27/07/2026

27/07/2026

27/07/2026

27/07/2026

LOOK | Small fisherfolk from various fishing federations across the country marched to the Department of Agriculture (DA), to deliver their own “State of the Fisherfolk Address (SOFA)” on Monday, July 27.

Led by the fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) and Katipunan ng mga Kilusan ng Artisanong Mangingisda sa Pilipinas (KKAMPI), the protest raised the pressing issues in the fishing sector – including the commercial fishing intrusion in the 15-kilometer municipal waters, the massive destruction of fishing grounds and displacement of coastal communities due to reclamation, and the foreign military interventions in the Philippine territory.

“Small fishers from across different provinces traveled to Manila to present the actual situation of the fishing sector which is based on the day-to-day experiences and struggles for daily survival. This is contrary to President Marcos’ state of the nation address which is always far from reality,” Ronnel Arambulo, PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson said in a statement.

Aside from the issue in the municipal waters, PAMALAKAYA also raised in the protest the threat of “foreign interventions under the guise of economic and security zone”.

Fisherfolk from Cavite and Zambales, who joined the protest, raised concern over the planned construction of U.S. economic security zones in their provinces, as part of the Luzon Economic Corridor.

Richard Catenza, PAMALAKAYA-Cavite slammed what he called as the “transformation” of the Sangley Point, a civilian airport located at the mouth of Manila Bay and has a direct route to the South China Sea, into a U.S. military “forward base”.

“Dismayado kami kay Pangulong Marcos sa pagpayag nito na panghimasukan ng U.S. ang paliparang nakatayo sa Manila Bay kung saan kami nangingisda. Nababahala kami sa kung anong kagamitang pang-giyera ang ilalagak dito ng Amerika na magsasapeligro ng aming seguridad,” Catenza said.

Fisherfolk from Zambales also denounced the Marcos administration for allowing U.S. troops to conduct military exercises in their fishing waters. This year, at least three military exercises between the U.S., Philippines, and other allied countries, were held off Zambales. The said military exercises were accompanied with a no-sail zone policy that affected the livelihood of local fisherfolk and coastal residents.

After the protest at the DA, the fisherfolk groups held a caravan along Commonwealth Avenue, to join the multisectoral protest in time for President Ferdinand Marcos’ 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA). # # #

22/07/2026

Provincial chapters of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas-Panay staged coordinated fluvial and coastal protests across Panay on July 19, eight days before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address.

Link to the full story in comment section.

22/07/2026

NEWS | “No fisher in Zambales would oppose pursuing peaceful means of asserting our sovereign rights. We reject being used by other powerful countries to further escalate the situation in our waters,” Regalado said.

The fisherfolk groups also raised concerns about the impact of the Balikatan exercises held in April, saying fishing activities were disrupted for more than two weeks because of a no-sail zone imposed during the drills.

Two fisherfolk associations in Zambales have expressed support for a peaceful, diplomatic resolution of tensions in the West Philippine Sea, backing a national fishers’ group’s call to demilitarize the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).