Zambales gov’t procures 2 'payao' boats for fisherfolk

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January 25, 2026 | 5:56pm

IBA, Zambales — The Zambales provincial government has delivered on its promise to provide modern vessels to local fishermen to help them cope with the increasing hazards of eking out a living in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) amid harassment by Chinese vessels.

On Friday, January 23, Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., along with other provincial officials, received two 45-footer fishing boats from the boat builder, the initial inputs under an P89-million package to deliver harvester boats and ancillary equipment to fishers’ cooperatives in the province.

The two fiberglass-hulled fishing boats, worth a total of P10 million, were named FV Zambales III and FV Zambales IV. Both are powered by 125-horsepower Hyundai engines and have a maximum speed of 18 knots. 

The fishing boats will be operated by the Zambales Provincial Fishermen’s Association (ZPFA), a federation composed of 10 fisherfolk cooperatives under its chairman Paulo Quitaneg.

In the same ceremony, the provincial government also launched a third vessel, the MV Province of Zambales, which will be used for patrol operations in waters off the province.

The governor said the new fishing boats are “a concrete proof of the government’s concern over the plight of local fishermen who risk their lives at sea to eke out a living” and a recognition of their need to sustain their livelihood and maintain safety at sea.

“The provincial government will continue to support you,” Ebdane told fisherfolk during the ceremony.

“We will continue to help develop the fishing sector in Zambales, which is a priority of this administration,” he added.

Local fishermen said they have faced water cannons from Chinese militia vessels in the WPS, forcing them to stay away from traditional fishing grounds near the Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, which China had occupied since 2012.

Their plight worsened since June 2024, when China imposed a “no trespassing” policy at Bajo de Masinloc and barred local fishers from entering a 40-nautical-mile perimeter around the shoal.

The procurement of modern vessels for local fishermen, Ebdane said, “is in pursuit of a long-term solution to the WPS problem” and is designed to give them a competitive edge in fishing.

Engr. Domingo Mariano, head of the ZMDC Technical Working Group, said the newly-delivered fishing boats will be used as ancillary vessels to gather catch from “payaos,” which are fish-aggregating devices (FADs) anchored in an open sea.

He said two more vessels, the future FV Zambales I and FV Zambales II, which are respectively 92-footer and 100-footer harvester vessels, will also be built by Stoneworks Specialist International Corp., a boat maker based in Gen. Trias, Cavite. These will serve as “mother boats” to complement the smaller ancillary boats and provide bigger storage and ice supply for the weeklong fishing forays normally taken by “payao” fishers.

The four fishing boats under the assistance package for local “payao” fishermen were procured through the Zambales Maritime Development Council (ZMDC), which was organized by the provincial government in late 2024 to address fishermen’s concerns at the WPS and promote sustainable local fish production.

In the last two years, ZDMC had also provided P10.6-million worth of “payaos” to local fishermen’s cooperatives and facilitated the training of fisherfolk in the operation of modern fishing vessels and maritime safety.