The Philippines is an archipelago comprising 7,100 islands, with the world’s longest discontinuous coastline at 17,460km, and is one of the world’s largest fish producers with fisheries accounting for a major source of livelihood and food. Yet, fisherfolks remain one of the poorest sectors in the country. Rapid commercialization of the Philippines waters has persistently threatened Filipino fisherfolks who are losing livelihoods and their way of leading an autonomous  life.  PANGISDA is one of the national organizations of small-scale fisherfolks in the Philippines which has been organizing fisherfolks across the major fishing grounds of the country. Both men and women are members of PANGISDA. While men engage in fishing, women usually process fish, gather shellfish, plant mangroves, and market fish.

PANGISDA envisions a fisheries reform in the Philippines, where the rights of small fisherfolk are protected and fishing grounds conserved in a sustainable manner from industrial fishing, illegal fishing, land reclamation and corporatization. Apart from mobilizing against commercialization, PANGISDA conducts political education for its members,  revives artisanal and Indigenous conservation methods, is building a feminist vision of the fishers movement, and is creating alliances with other movements both nationally and internationally, among other activities.