Sasmuan, Pampanga, Philippines – At the break of dawn, the river stirs to life. Boats cut through the water, fishing nets are untangled, and voices murmur over the steady rhythm of daily labor. Along the riverbanks, women fix fishing nets, sort crabs, and prepare their harvests for market—each movement a routine part of life in this coastal wetland.
“From February to May, we are grateful,”
says Christina Guevarra, carefully removing a blue swimming crab from the net.
“But after these months, especially when the rainy season begins, we have to find other ways to earn.”
Like many in Sasmuan, her family depends on the river’s bounty, but as fish populations and other aquatic resources decline, and threats to the river persist, this fishing community’s livelihood remains precariously seasonal.
“It’s difficult in coastal communities like ours because we are so dependent on the river’s harvests,”
Christina shares as she continues untangling crabs. She adds:
“Life for us fisherfolk is simple, but it’s also hard.”
For generations, the Kapampangans—people of the river—have depended on the Sasmuan Pampanga Coastal Wetlands, a critical habitat that forms part of the Pasac-Guagua Watershed, draining into Manila Bay and sustaining not only Pampanga but also neighboring provinces. Yet, pollution, mismanaged wastes, and unsustainable practices threaten both biodiversity and the economic security of those who rely on it.
“The wastes we see in the river also come from upstream communities. Even with proper waste disposal and waste management policies in place, enforcement remains a challenge,”
explains Irene Villar, Assistant Department Head of Pampanga’s Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office.
For women like Edna Bilacog and Rose Ann Tungol, who segregate wastes at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) and sell their collected recyclables, household waste translates into economic opportunity—but at a disadvantaged cost.
“What we earn barely meets our needs,”
they share while sorting through freshly delivered sacks of waste under the midday sun. Earning as little as PHP 175 (USD 4) a day, far below Sasmuan’s minimum wage of PHP 420 (USD 7) they struggle to provide for their families.
Beyond waste segregation, Sasmuan’s women contribute extensively to its fishery economy. In the coastal barangay of Mabuanbuan, almost every woman has mastered pagbabasal or net-weaving and repair, a skill passed down through generations out of necessity.
Maricar Guevarra, a weaver for over 20 years, earns PHP 250 (USD 4) per repaired net and PHP 750 (USD 13) for weaving a large panti or fishing net, a process that would take her four days.
“This has been my main source of income, especially when my husband fell ill,”
she shares. To supplement her earnings, she took on home-based services like laundry and selling home-cooked meals.
Women also dominate the crab trade, other than detangling crabs from the nets, they are in charge of cooking and packaging them for the market.
“Cooking or steaming freshly harvested crabs helps preserve the catch longer, keeping them fresh for transport and sale to buyers in nearby communities",
explains Vivian Manalo, who operates the crab cooking business. Most of the crabs are sold to middlemen for crab meat canning for export in countries such as Indonesia, Taiwan, and Japan, while others are sold to neighboring local markets. However, their business faces threats from the unsustainable aquaculture practices of nearby fishpond operators.
“When water from bangus or milkfish ponds is released, which happens every six months, it makes the brackish water turbid affecting our crab harvest,”
shared by Nina Diosa, one of the crab traders.
“We’ve noticed that crabs don’t thrive in this kind of turbid water, which leads to a decline in our harvest.”
With mounting environmental and economic challenges, Sasmuan’s women are diversifying their sources of income. During the off-season, they seek work in nearby urban communities as household helpers, laborers, or employees in grocery stores and shops.
In the village of Batang 2nd, a women’s group produces atchara (pickled sea purslane), transforming an abundant riverbank weed into a marketable delicacy.
"We only produce per order, but having a stable market would help us sustain this alternative source of livelihood,"
one member shares.
On the mainland of Sasmuan, Patricia Culala, a mother of two, has turned crab paste production into her family’s main source of income.
"The fat from the crab is the tastiest part—that's what I preserve and sell in bottles. Through this business, I was able to send my children to school,"
she explains.
Kapampangans are known as skilled cooks, and she is a testament to this. Her crab paste is highly sought after in the community. Through government-led training, Patricia has also shared her knowledge with other women, helping them diversify their income streams.
Beyond fishing and aquaculture, Sasmuan’s wetlands hold immense ecotourism potential. The Sasmuan Bangkung Malapad Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area, a sanctuary for migratory birds, is home to species like the Black-faced Spoonbill, Chinese Egret, and the endangered Far Eastern Curlew.
With proper investment, ecotourism could provide an alternative livelihood for fisherfolk.
“The mangrove forests not only shield us from storm surges but also support the local crab population and could be developed for well-planned ecotours. If harnessed responsibly, ecotourism can sustain livelihoods,”
says Villar.
Recognizing the environmental and economic challenges faced by coastal communities like Sasmuan, the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project is collaborating with the Provincial Government of Pampanga through its Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region III along with them Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office to develop sustainable solutions for the Pasac-Guagua Watershed. The Subcommittee on Environment of the Regional Development Council of Region III provides the platform for consultation and decision making for the project.
This initiative aims to conserve waterways while fostering economic opportunities, particularly for women and other vulnerable groups.
At the policy level, the IRBM Project promotes proper river management through the “Source-to-Sea Continuum” approach, which safeguards upstream water sources to ensure the sustainability of downstream communities. To guide conservation efforts, a State of the River Basin Report is being developed using a 32-indicator framework to assess the watershed’s health and inform future strategies.
The women of Sasmuan are resilient and resourceful. With every net they weave, every crab they harvest, and every piece of waste they segregate, they help sustain their families. However, the larger challenge lies in sustainability.
Ensuring fair wages, investing in sustainable practices, and fostering community-led conservation efforts are crucial to preserving both Sasmuan’s economy and environment. With strategic conservation efforts, the waters of Sasmuan will continue to sustain the Kapampangans—just as its women have sustained their families for generations.
Supported by the Global Environment Facility, the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project aims to set-up functional management mechanisms in priority river basins of six ASEAN countries to reduce pollution and sustain freshwater environmental flows as well as adapt to climate change vulnerabilities. The Project is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, and executed by Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of Seas Asia, in collaboration with ASEAN.
© 2026 IW:LEARN
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