The World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) proudly highlights the powerful culmination of a groundbreaking partnership between the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) and PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas. Launched in 2024, this collaboration immerses local artists in fishing communities to document and amplify the daily struggles of small-scale fishers. The result is a compelling final exhibit titled “Water, Our Home”, which gives voice to the fishers’ realities through art created by the community itself.
Since 2024, PAMALAKAYA has partnered with CAP to integrate artists directly with fishers, enabling a deep understanding of the severe threats facing their livelihoods. These include the deteriorating conditions of Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay, driven by large-scale reclamation projects and dredging activities. With support from the University of the Philippines College of Social Work and Community Development (UP CSWCD) Office of Extension Coordination and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Development, the initiative expanded into the “Paglayag at Paglaya” (To Sail and to be Free) Program. Art workshops were conducted for the youth in the fishing communities, fostering creativity as a tool for resistance and awareness.
A mural is being created by young fisher folks
The exhibition features a powerful collection of artworks: pieces created by the fishers themselves during the CAP workshops, alongside works produced by CAP artists who participated in community immersions. Together, these artworks serve as both documentation and testimony to the fishers’ lived experiences—their connection to the water, the threats to their homes, and their unwavering call for justice.
The Artwork named “SAKSI” ( witness )
A striking highlight of the broader program is the installation art “Saksi” (Tagalog for “Witness”), created by Archie Oclos and installed in Navotas, an area heavily impacted by ongoing reclamation. Positioned as a stark reminder amid the construction, “Saksi” underscores that fishers are the direct witnesses to what the program describes as “false development”—projects by the state and private corporations that devastate traditional livelihoods and ecosystems.
The “Water, Our Home” exhibition opens to the public from April 11 to May 9, 2026, at the University of the Philippines College of Social Work and Community Development (UP CSWCD), 1st Floor Walkway. The official launch event is scheduled for April 11, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
This initiative exemplifies the kind of creative solidarity that WFFP champions globally. Small-scale fishers are not merely victims of environmental degradation and corporate encroachment; they are active defenders of their waters and their way of life. Through art, the “Paglayag at Paglaya” Program transforms personal stories into a collective call for the protection of fishing communities, sustainable fisheries, and the right to livelihood.
WFFP stands in solidarity with PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas and CAP. We invite all supporters of fisher rights, environmental justice, and cultural resistance to visit the exhibition and draw inspiration from the resilience of Philippine fishers. Their struggle is part of our shared global fight to safeguard small-scale fisheries for future generations.
“Water is our home. Let us protect it together.”