28/07/2026
LOOK | Fisherfolk, workers, farmers, students, and other sectors took on to the streets on July 27, 2026 to press calls for accountability and systemic reforms. Beginning with the State of the Fisherfolk Address in front of the Department of Agriculture and ending with the SONA ng Bayan protest along Commonwealth Avenue, demonstrators challenged the Marcos administration’s narrative of progress.
The day began with fisherfolk organizations, progressive groups, youth advocates, and allied sectors gathering in front of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the State of the Fisherfolk Address (SOFA), where they called attention to the worsening conditions faced by the country’s fisheries and agricultural sectors.
Fisherfolk groups decried reclamation projects and land conversion, saying these continue to displace coastal communities and threaten local livelihoods. They also urged the government to protect municipal waters, strengthen support for local food producers, and address the long-standing problems confronting farmers and fisherfolk.
Later that day, thousands of protesters marched along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City for the SONA ng Bayan, held alongside President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 5th State of the Nation Address. The protest brought together fisherfolk, farmers, workers, students, indigenous peoples, transport groups, and other organizations to present what they described as the realities facing ordinary Filipinos.
51 individuals were also arrested before the program even began, drawing calls to uphold the rights to peaceful assembly and free expression. 42 of those arrested had been released as of today, while nine remained in police custody facing charges. Rights groups also questioned the conduct of the arrests, alleging the use of zip ties during the apprehensions, the arrest of paralegals, and violations of the detainees’ rights, including the failure to immediately inform them of their Miranda rights.
Speakers said that with only two years left in the Marcos administration, many Filipinos continue to bear the burden of soaring prices while wages remain far below what families need to live decently. They also renewed calls for accountability over unresolved corruption issues and condemned policies they said continue to burden the public.
Throughout the mobilization, cultural groups turned the streets into spaces of protest through performances and visual art. They criticized the Marcos administration’s ties with the United States, particularly through the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), and the Pax Silica initiative, arguing that these policies deepen foreign influence over the country’s economy, natural resources, and sovereignty.
The SONA ng Bayan brought together a broad range of demands—from protecting fisherfolk’s livelihoods and defending civil liberties to seeking accountability, economic justice, and policies that protesters said respond to the needs of ordinary Filipinos.
Caption & Captured by: Rosa Brutas
