Ronnel Arambulo arrived by his boat to greet me at Binangonan Port, dressed in his signature blue outfit. It was seven in the morning and some fisherfolk were already out in the lake trying to get their day’s catch. I climbed aboard his boat and, while traveling across the water, he pointed toward all the spots fish frequented and taught me the methods to catch them. 

Ronnel arrived by his boat to greet me at Binangonan Port, dressed in his signature blue outfit as a proud representative of his sector. (Alexa Antoinette Sambale/Philippine Collegian)

We settled on a quiet bank where we discussed his life as a fisherman-turned-aspiring-senator. There, he shared his passion for organizing, fishing, and singing. I listened to him sheepishly perform a rendition of Ewan by APO Hiking Society, its lyrics altered to mock the Maharlika Investment Fund.

For 48 years, Ronnel has roamed the shifting waters of Laguna de Bay, his hands toughened by decades of steering boats and casting nets. Experience granted him knowledge of every aspect of the lake, from the best fishing spots for certain seasons to the all-too-familiar issues that ail its waters. 

Behind Ronnel’s modest demeanor is a defiant leader who recognizes the need for change against an oppressive system. (Alexa Antoinette Sambale/Philippine Collegian)

But now, Ronnel confronts the tides of a sea he has not yet traversed before: the Senate race. Under the banner of the Makabayan slate, the fisherman campaigns to protect the country’s waters from exploitation and ensure food security for all. 

 

A Life by the Lake

Born in 1976 to a family of fisherfolk in Binangonan, Rizal, Ronnel was practically raised by Laguna de Bay and would often accompany his folks on fishing trips. The lake became his playground and Ronnel was one of its troublemakers, hitching rides on passenger boats before getting scolded.

Despite being a rambunctious child, Ronnel still appreciated the gifts of the lake. By the shore, he and his friends would scavenge torn and discarded gillnets then set them up in the water. The richness of the waters was such that, with even little effort, it provided them with fish to take home later that afternoon. 

“Yung mga mangingisda noon kahit sa maikling oras lamang, three to four hours, kaya na i-sustain ang pangangailangan,” Ronnel said.

It was in this small town that he began dating Edilyn, his childhood friend. “Simula po kabataan talaga siya na ‘yong tinibok ng aking puso,” Edilyn said.

But their young love did not initially last. Personal differences caused them to part ways, then unexpectedly reunited again in Laguna in 2017. Ronnel and Edilyn interpreted this as the work of destiny, eventually opting to continue their relationship and get married.

The childhood sweethearts settled down in their hometown of Binangonan. Their house would be filled with music as Ronnel enjoyed guitar, singing, and songwriting as hobbies. Still, he spent most of his time in the lake hauling fish to sustain his family.

“Si Ronnel kasi, masipag na tao at talagang dedicated ‘yan sa pamilya. Syempre bilang mangingisda, ayon po ‘yong kinabubuhay namin,” Edilyn said.

Over the years, Ronnel specialized in a type of fishing called “tibog”. He demonstrated the technique while I rode with him on his boat by first untangling and scattering the nets in a circle. You can tell a genuine fisherman by the ease in which they cast their nets, he remarked. With a long pole, Ronnel disrupted the water and gathered the fish into the trap. 

Ronnel demonstrates the techniques of tibog, a type of fishing he specializes in. (Alexa Antoinette Sambale/Philippine Collegian)

However, Ronnel explained that the quality and quantity of his catches have declined compared to when he was a child. 

He realized that the lake’s deterioration began with the introduction of “development” projects such as the Napindan Hydraulic Control Structure in 1983. It was intended to control saltwater intrusion but the deprivation of saltwater from the brackish lake proved detrimental to its ecosystem with 20 species no longer present since its construction, according to fisherfolk rights group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA). Now, the dam merely diverts floodwater from Metro Manila to Laguna de Bay, which contributes to flooding and pollution in coastal areas. 

Such challenges caused long days with catches too insufficient to even pay debt. “Naalala ko pa sa isang lending, ang hulog namin doon araw-araw sa panahon na iyon nasa 120 pero minsan nakakahuli ka lang nasa 100 pesos, so kulang pa doon sa utang mo at doon sa pakain mo sa pamilya mo, so kailangan mo ulit mangutang,” Ronnel said.

Destructive projects caused Ronnel to experience long days with catches too insufficient to even pay debt. (Alexa Antoinette Sambale/Philippine Collegian)

During that time, Ronnel was still unaware of the reason underlying the prioritization of such destructive projects. But that all changed when PAMALAKAYA organized in his barrio to explain the issue of dredging projects under former President Gloria Arroyo‘s administration. 

Ronnel was initially hesitant to listen to the fisherfolk group’s discussions, believing the dredging to be nothing more than clearing mud from the lake’s bed. Gradually, he understood the actual motive for such a project—to deepen the lake and allow ferry boats inside its waters, commercializing the area.

These realizations willed Ronnel to join PAMALAKAYA as a full-time organizer in 2007. “Napalalim pa [ako] sa mga iba-ibang isyu hanggang sa naging bahagi na rin ako sa pagpapaliwanag sa mga bagay na iyon,” he said.

 

Political Undercurrents

Ronnel began his activism by joining protests and making accompanying props before taking an interest in educational discussions. He frequently conversed with PAMALAKAYA Chairperson Fernando Hicap about their understanding of fisherfolk issues. 

Hicap saw his potential as a discussion instructor, but Ronnel felt himself to be shy and reserved—traits he still struggles to overcome to this day. He was soft-spoken, his voice occasionally drowned out by the passing waves while we talked, yet his words carried the weight of the reality of his sector. Over time, however, he felt comfortable enough to share his knowledge and analysis of fisherfolk issues with his community. 

After all, Ronnel experiences these firsthand. Right next to where we were talking by the shore, Ronnel pointed to the land being reclaimed under the expressway project Laguna Lakeshore Road Network. The erected dike has made the community, including his home, prone to flooding, worsened the lake’s water quality, and disturbed fish in the area, he said.