When the marsh grows quiet: climate pressures, declining fish catch, and survival in Ligawasan
SULTAN SA BARONGIS, Maguindanao del Sur (MindaNews / 16 June 2026) –Before sunrise, fishing boats in Barangay Langgapanan are already moving through narrow waterways hidden within the darkness of the pawas (marshland). Nets are checked one last time, engines are started, and fisherfolk prepare for another long night on the water.
This tradition, passed down from generations, used to begin at dawn. Now, many fisherfolk prefer to fish at night instead. The heat during the day has become harder to endure, while cooler nighttime waters offer better chances of catching fish. What was once an early morning routine is slowly changing under the pressure of climate, rising costs, and declining fish catch.
Across Central Mindanao, communities surrounding Ligawasan Marsh are adapting to environmental changes that make survival more uncertain for families who depend almost entirely on fishing.
Muslimin Salih, 31, father of four children, has spent years navigating the waters of Ligawasan Marsh. Before leaving for another trip, he quietly fixes his nets beside his small wooden boat. Having spent much of his life fishing in the marsh, he says the changes in its waters are now impossible to ignore.
“We really caught more fish before. Now we’re struggling because the weather has changed,” he said.
According to Salih, their usual fish catch was around 50 kilograms of fish per trip, but now many return with only 15 to 20 kilograms, especially during periods of extreme heat and erratic weather.
Because of the extreme heat, daytime fishing has become more exhausting. As a result, many of them prefer nighttime trips as colder temperatures and calmer waters make fish easier to locate.
Even with this shift in schedule, however, catching enough fish is no longer guaranteed. For many of them, a catch of at least 30 kilograms is needed to cover fuel expenses and contribute to household needs, leaving many families struggling when the daily catch falls below that level.
Ligawasan Marsh spans approximately 288,000 hectares across the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. It serves as a vital flood buffer, fisheries habitat, and livelihood source for thousands of families. For these communities, the wetland is more than water; it is where they earn income, buy food, and send their children to school.
But fisherfolk report the marsh has become increasingly unpredictable. Water levels shift more frequently, dry periods feel longer, and sudden rain interrupts fishing trips. Fish are harder to find than in previous years. Most fishermen now spend around ₱100 or more on gasoline per trip. On low-catch days, many return home without even covering their fuel expenses.
Kalim Kudos, 35, a long-time fisherman from Barangay Langgapanan, said the rising cost of fishing and declining catch have made it increasingly difficult to earn a living from the marsh.
“Aden mga gay a nalsangan bu i makambalingan su gastus nay, uged aden bun mga gay a apya tanggung na di nay den gabawi (“There are days when we are only able to break even on our expenses, but there are also days when we cannot even recover the cost of gasoline.”) he said.
According to him, daily income from fishing used to range from around ₱800 to ₱2,000, depending on catch size and conditions. At present, earnings have dropped to about ₱700 to ₱1,000 per trip, with some days even falling below this when fish catch is poor or fuel costs are not recovered.
His experience reflects the situation faced by many fishermen in the community, who continue to venture into the marsh despite growing uncertainty over their daily earnings.
According to the 2024 peer-reviewed study “Ecological Indicators of Water Quality and Marshland Impact Area (MARia) Index of Ligawasan Marsh: a critically important wetland in the Southern Mindanao, Philippines”. published in Discover Environment, expanding agricultural activities and land-use changes surrounding Ligawasan Marsh are contributing to environmental pressures in the area.
The research was conducted under a project supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology–BARMM (MOST-BARMM), highlighting environmental changes affecting the marsh ecosystem.
Authored by Krizler Cejuela Tanalgo and fellow researchers, the study found elevated phosphate and mercury levels associated with expanding croplands and urbanization, as well as a strong correlation between land-use changes and water quality indicators.
These findings confirm what local fisherfolk have long observed: changing water conditions, declining fish catch, and growing difficulty in sustaining their livelihood.
Local agriculturist Salama Cadon emphasized that Ligawasan Marsh remains a crucial natural resource for surrounding communities.
“The beauty of it is that Ligawasan Marsh has natural resources,” she said.
Cadon explained that the marsh also provides stable water sources for nearby farms, reducing the need for farmers to dig wells or search for water. However, she acknowledged that many fisherfolk continue to request assistance for fishing nets, equipment, and other livelihood support, reflecting the growing instability of fishing-based incomes.
For many families in Barangay Langgapanan, fishing is not just work—it is their only source of livelihood. When catch is low, households are forced to adjust. Some women sell dried fish or vegetables to help with expenses, while others seek temporary jobs in nearby towns. Even with these efforts, many families struggle to keep up with rising costs.
According to municipal-level poverty data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the municipality of Sultan sa Barongis in Maguindanao del Sur is part of the BARMM local government units assessed under municipal poverty incidence classifications ranging from Level 1 (0.0–20.0%) to Level 4 (60.1–80.0%).
PSA’s 2023 municipal poverty report shows that the majority of municipalities in BARMM fall under Level 2 and Level 3 poverty incidence ranges, which represent 20.1% to 60.0% of the population living below the poverty threshold. This indicates that a large share of communities in the region, including Sultan sa Barongis, continues to experience moderate to high levels of poverty.
Climate change further intensifies these vulnerabilities: extreme heat shortens safe fishing hours, while erratic weather forces fishermen to cancel trips or return home early.
Government assistance in marsh communities comes from local and national agencies. Bai Sahara Ulangkaya, Provincial Coordinator of the Sustainable Livelihood Program under the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD-BARMM), said many individuals and groups regularly seek financial or livelihood assistance from their office.
She noted that around 50% of their target beneficiaries come from Maguindanao del Sur, reflecting the high demand for support in the province. However, she stressed that limited budgets allow the program to assist only a portion of applicants each year.
Ulangkaya added that income instability affects not only fisherfolk but entire households.
“When the income of the family head is not enough, the whole household suffers from a lack of financial support,” she explained.
Despite these limitations, she said the program continues to prioritize vulnerable fishing communities whose livelihoods are increasingly affected by environmental and economic pressures.
For communities like Langgapanan, the future of Ligawasan Marsh is deeply tied to their survival. Addressing both environmental degradation and livelihood insecurity will require sustained and coordinated support from government institutions and development partners, Cadon said. (Michael Balayanan Kanday / S’Bang Ka Maguindanao for MindaNews)
(This story was produced with the support of Earth Journalism Network.)
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