The livelihood of fishermen dependent on Taal Lake has been impacted following reports that the bodies of missing “sabungeros” were allegedly dumped in the lake. Laurel Mayor Lyndon Bruce, whose town is one of the municipalities surrounding Taal Lake, noted that fish sales in local markets have significantly declined since the news broke.
“Ang news lagi pinag-uusapan ‘yun mga sabungero daw na itinapon dito, syempre ang isip ng tao nagne-negative kaya nga siguro nag-aatubili silang bumili ng isda,” Mayor Bruce stated, explaining that the negative perception has led to hesitance among consumers to purchase fish.
Fishermen from nearby towns are also feeling the financial impact of the controversy. “Pero sabi ko kung may nangyari man eh 2020 pa naman ‘yun, 2021 pa,” he added, referring to the alleged events occurring back in 2020 or 2021.
Taal Lake is a major producer of tilapia and bangus, supplying Metro Manila and the CALABARZON region. Mayor Bruce assured the public that the fish from Taal Lake are safe to eat and expressed support for national government plans, including proposed diving operations to locate the bodies of the missing sabungeros.
Taal Lake, the third largest lake in the Philippines with a depth of 172 meters, is surrounded by several towns, including Agoncillo, San Nicolas, Balete, Alitagtag, Cuenca, Mataasnakahoy, Lipa City, Tanauan City, Santa Teresita, Talisay, and Laurel.