Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2015

De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

March 2-4, 2015

Navotas: Sharing their Fishing Culture

Mr. Leonard Brian L. Lumaque1, Ms. Ahvie A. Lopez2 and Ms. Emily J. Comedis3
1 College of Business

*Corresponding Author: leonardbrian.lumaque@gmail.com

Abstract: Navotas City has been known as the Fishing Capital of the Philippines with its
population deriving their livelihood directly and indirectly from fishing and its related industries
like fish trading, fish net mending, and processed fish. It is also famous for fish sauce and
shrimp paste. We see this as potential hub for tourism and research. But first, it is important to
understand the fishing culture of the fishermen in this community. This study aims to explore
the culture of fishing in Navotas as additional knowledge for indigenous culture of Filipinos.
This study also emphasizes the direct interaction of fishermen with the sea. It attempts to
expose the close relationship between the fishermen with their environment. This study uses
ethno-history and ethnographic parallels to understand the social behavior of the fishermen.
Fishermen harvest fishes at midnight. Their harvest often depends on the weather as well as on
the size of the moon. Fishermen are often working for fish companies who often trade with
agents of fish processing companies such as sardines. The fishing culture in Navotas has greatly
been influenced by modern industries but a lot of environmental factors still need to be
enhanced in their culture such as coastal shore sanitation, worker’s welfare and enhancement of
their facilities. Local tourism and research can help them improve their condition.

Key Words: livelihood; potential; culture; environment; sanitation

1. Etymology of Navotas In 1827, the principales of San Jose de

Navotas was originally a contiguous part of Navotas and Bangkulasi petitioned the Spanish
Malabon and was not separated from it by a body of government for the consolidation and separation of
water. However, sometime in the past, the turbulent their barrios from Malabon to form a new town. This
waters of Manila Bay gradually eroded a weak strip action was precipitated by the difficulty encountered
of land between this town and the district of Tondo in by the townsfolk of these two barrios in transacting
Manila until an opening was breached. Seawater business and attending the church due to the
continued to flow in through this opening physical separation brought by the Navotas River.
particularly during high tide eventually carving out (Government of Navotas, 2015)
the Navotas River in the process. (Government of The petition did not meet with success until
Navotas, 2015) three decades later when in February 16, 1859 as
The channel created eventually developed evidence by existing documents, the barrios of San
into a regular waterway that has come to be known Jose de Navotas and Bangkulasi was separated from
as the Navotas River. This natural phenomenon Malabon. (Government of Navotas, 2015)
seemed to be the origin of the name that today is Eventually the Royal Audiencia
associated with this area, continually referred to as promulgated the “Superior” on June 11, 1859 which
“nabutas” which over the time gradually evolved provided for the establishment of a new parish with
into “Navotas”, literally meaning “pierced through” a church and parochial school for the benefit of the
in English. The original name bestowed to the place town of Navotas and its barrios, which at that time
in its early history when it was still part of Malabon were San Jose, Tangos, Bangkulasi and Tanza.
was San Jose de Navotas, in honor of its patron Navotas was incorporated into the newly created
saint, San Jose. (Government of Navotas, 2015) Province of Rizal on June 11, 1901 through the
enactment of Philippine Commission Act No. 137.
However, pursuant to its policy of economy and

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Proceedings of the DLSU Research Congress Vol. 3 2015
 Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2015
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
March 2-4, 2015

centralization, the Philippine Commission again much bonier than other food fish, deboned
merged Malabon and Navotas through Act No. 942 milkfish, called "boneless bangús" in the
designating the seat of government to Malabon until Philippines, has become popular in stores and
it was established and independent as city on June markets.
24, 2007. (Government of Navotas, 2015) 2.2. Tilapia is the common name for nearly a
hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine
2. Navotas Fishing Culture: In Focus cichlid tribe. Tilapia are mainly freshwater fish
The Philippine Government Development inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers and
policy aims to increase productivity, profitability and lakes and less commonly found living in brackish
income, and to improve the socio-economic conditions water.
of the Philippine people. The Department of 2.3. Sardines are commonly consumed by human
Agriculture pursues the following objectives in beings. Fresh sardines are often grilled, pickled
fisheries development: improved income and or smoked, or preserved in cans.
standard of living for rural fishing families; self- 2.4. Bighead Carp (Imelda Fish) is a freshwater fish,
sufficiency in fisheries; improved utilization and one of several Asian carps. It has a large, scale
productive capacity of fisheries and other aquatic less head, a large mouth, and eyes located very
resources, and increased exports of fish and fishery low on the head.
products. (Dickson, 1989) 2.5. Ponyfishes (Sapsap) inhabit marine and brackish
The Philippine Government has waters in the Indian and West Pacific Oceans.
implemented several action programmes and They can be used in the preparation of bagoong.
development activities in artisanal fisheries which Ponyfishes are small and laterally compressed in
include sectoral fishing technology development, shape, with a bland, silvery colouration.
credit schemes, support to cooperative/fishermen's 2.6. Shrimp are widespread and abundant. They can
organizations, construction of infrastructure (ports, be found feeding near the seafloor on most coasts
marketing and fish landing/distribution centers), and estuaries, as well as in rivers and lakes.
training and extension, fisheries resources 2.7. Mussel (Tahong) is also used for many
management, conservation, protection and freshwater bivalves, including the freshwater
utilization, and the Fisheries Integrated Community pearl mussels. Freshwater mussel species
Development Project. (Dickson, 1989) inhabit lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, canals, and
One of the priority action programmes was they are classified in a different subclass of
the Small-Scale Fisheries Credit Assistance bivalves, despite some very superficial
Component. Although the government intensified the similarities in appearance.
implementation of this nationwide fisheries credit 2.8. Squid (Pusit) are cephalopods of the order
assistance programme known as Biyayang Dagat Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species.
Program (BDP) from the late 1970s, an evaluation of Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct
inter-agency efforts of banks, development agencies, head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms.
cooperatives and fisheries administrations showed Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged
that only 65 per cent of the initial target group had in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles. Squid
actually been reached by the programme between are strong swimmers and certain species can
1980 and 1984. From 1978 to 1983, P 168.81 ($8.44) "fly" for short distances out of the water.
million worth of credit had been earmarked for the 2.9. Tuma is a saltwater finfish that belongs to the
artisanal fisheries sector, of which p 106.2 million or tribe Thunnini, a sub-grouping of the mackerel
63 per cent had been disbursed to 8 482 fisher folk by family (Scombridae)- which together with the
August 1986. Due to poor loan repayments - in tunas also includes the bonitos, mackerels, and
August 1986 the overall repayment rate was only 35 Spanish mackerels.
per cent - the credit programme was suspended.
(Dickson, 1989) 2.3 Fishing as Livelihood
2.1. Navotas Rich Resources of Fishes Fishing is primary living in Navotas City.
The following fishes were documented as visual
This is where they get their food for everyday living
ethnography taken by the researcher on September
and especially for their daily expense. Aside from
2014.
fishing, they have an alternative income which is
2.1. Milkfish (Bangus) - The milkfish is an important
well known in their place; Fish Sauce “Patis” and
seafood in Southeast Asia and some Pacific
Shrimp Paste “Bagoong”. Even though that their
Islands. Because milkfish is notorious for being

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Proceedings of the DLSU Research Congress Vol. 3 2015
 Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2015
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
March 2-4, 2015

income is not enough for their primary living, they (Carandang et. al., 2014)
still oblige to have an alternative income to meet
their family needs every day. 2.2 Rich in Fish Resources: So why are they
Fishes are often processed as sardines by poor?
some sardines company in Navotas. People who work
In a research conducted by Smith, Puzon
in the sardine companies are working on contractual
and Vidal-Libunao (1980), the contribution of
basis. These fishes are also processed at home by
municipal fisheries to annual fish production in the
some small scales business such as fish balls or dried
Philippines is significant. While maintaining an
fish. Some residents directly buy fishes from the port
approximate 55-60% share of total catch over the
and sell them in the market.
past two decades, municipal fisheries production has
Most fishermen that we interviewed from
quadrupled from 218,983 mt in 1955 to 874,934 mt in
the port were working for a fishing company and
1977. Of this 1977 amount, approximately 81% or
they usually ride a vessel with their nets and hoping
712,014 mt was caught by marine municipal
for a big catch.
fishermen, and approximately 19% or 162,420 mt
was caught by inland municipal fishermen. Per
2.1 Navotas as Fishing Capital of the capita consumption of marine products of the
Philippines; Navotas as one of the poor Philippines was 24.2 kg in 1972 (FAO. 1973),
society in Metro Manila representing approximately 54% of animal protein
intake. Thus, municipal fisheries highly contribute to
The City of Navotas is a 1st class city in meet the nutritional needs of the average Filipino.
Metro Manila, Philippines. The city occupies a
narrow strip of land along the eastern shores of 2.3 Navotas Fishermen: Passing the
Manila Bay. Navotas is directly north of Manila, Culture
west of Malabon City, and south of Obando, Bulacan One of the fishermen we interviewed shared
(DOT, 2015). that his job as fisherman was inherited from his
Dubbed as the “Fishing Capital of the father through collaboration with his father and by
Philippines,” Navotas is considered to be a very observing what his father was doing. After his
important fishing community, with 70% of its teenage years, he replaced his father from his work.
population deriving their livelihood directly or One fisherman related that Sardines
indirectly from fishing and its related industries like Company as well as the government should sponsor
fish trading, fish net mending, and fish producing, more training for fishermen.
have marginal percentage of inter-island fish We observed the poor sanitation along the
producers. Navotas occupies in the west with coastal shore. The drainage system is filled with
shoreline of Manila Bay, which is strategic coastal garbage and dirty water.
front and suitable for all kinds of vessels (DOT, 2015) Most fishermen also shared that they do not
Navotas is part of the informal sub-region of have SSS and Philhealth. They do not wear any
Metro Manila called CAMANAVA. This sub-region gloves to protect them from ice. The Fish Port lacks
aside from Navotas, includes the cities of Caloocan, maintenance.
Malabon, and Valenzuela. Navotas is perceived to be
prone to flood especially during the rainy season and 2.4 Occupational Pride, Tenacity and
during high tide, but the national and local
government is trying to alleviate the problem. Cultural Identity
Pollution and overpopulation are other problems that At 8 o’clock in the morning, the bargain
the government is trying to solve. Navotas is famous price of fish is located at the Market Hall 1 to Market
for fish sauce and shrimp paste (patis and bagoong in Hall 5 or so called the Black Market. According to the
Tagalog, respectively) (DOT, 2015) fish vendor, the Black Market refers to the bargain
However, there are a total of 41,717 price that pertains to the retail price of a product or
households with an estimated 15,904 of these their price is lower than market; e.g. A 1kg of Mussel
belonging to the urban poor (Quintile 1). The average in the Fish Market costs P45 which when sold by
family income per year is P60 000 for a family size of them is only P15 per kilo.
4.65 with the income per capita of P12,903.22. Based The fishermen have a usual routine of
on the 2007 Population Census, Navotas has 15% of resting in the morning and working at night. They
poverty incidence. Despite being considered as the usually sail all throughout the evening until dawn.
“Fish Capital of the Philippines” it is only a fish Once they dock on the Fish Port Complex, they begin
trading city and not a fish from elsewhere to segregate the different kinds of fishes. After the

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 Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2015
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
March 2-4, 2015

segregation, the buckets of fishes are piled on the 4 REFERENCES

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3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The researchers would like to thank the following:
Prof. Emily J. Comedis, for giving us guidance and
support for making this research paper possible.
Mr. Romeo Foronda Jr., for his guidance to check the
content of our research paper.
The authors of the references, thank you for your
research
Our Parents who supported us on our research paper
Prof. Ronald Y. Ibarlin, for giving time to edit the
research paper

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