THE SHORE REMEMBERS: The Ruins of Gibon Barge
- Jonell Gregorio
- Jan 5
- 6 min read
BY STEPHANIE TAGNONG, LORAINE FERNANDEZ, AND YULEACE NAVOTAS
For more than a decade, a barge sat on the shores of Gibon.
No one expected it to stay.
No one fully knew why it never left.
And when we tried to tell its story…it disappeared.
And now that it’s gone, what do they choose to remember?
WHERE THE NETS NEVER STOPPED: A fisherfolk's struggle
Gibon, Nabas, Aklan is known for its strong fishing livelihood and aquaculture. It thrives in community fishing or “pagpamukot” to support their families day and night. For the fisherfolk, the barge was a landmark—but never a blessing. Their good rhythm gets disrupted by the barge’s presence. They never agreed to it, but what more than compromise could they have done when their own shoreline was owned by someone they never knew?
There were no ceremonies when the barge was removed. Just a beach that felt lighter; and for the fishers, a stretched shoreline that they can finally call theirs. Yet, there are still traces of it, lingering on the sand— as if littering the beach with remains to remember it by.
Catch is not as abundant as it’s glorified, but sometimes, it only takes a stroke of luck or a matter of community to thrive. For Mr. Alvarez, it is more than just resilience; its learning to live despite restrictions and restraints. Life with LCT Tampitwin may have been bittersweet, but it taught Gibongnon fishers the fortitude as strong as the currents.
THE ASSERTIVE SEA: Environmental Impact
As its geography makes Gibon a recipient of strong winds of the Amihan and Habagat season, the striking shift of the shore’s coastline remained a strong factor tied to the barge’s presence. Residents, especially on the left side of the beach stretching to Sitio Pooc, have continuously noticed the intense erosion of the beach's natural slope and uprooting of coconut trees, almost affecting their part of land.
“Bahol gid ang epekto sa pamuluyo, malapit bay ang balay ( sa dagat). Haran gid ang epekto, ag among kulba man, syempre may amihan pa udi sa aton, madalom ang tubi, ag kung may bagyo man hay haran man amon ginapanimbangan dahil delikado gani.”
“It’s effect on livelihood is big, especially that our house is near it (sea). That’s the effect, and also our fear, now that the Amihan season is here, the water’s deep, and if there’s a typhoon, that’s what we fear because it’s dangerous.”, quote Mrs. Brenda Alfaro, a resident and BHW, on remembering the scare both the season and boat had caused them.
Assumptions are one thing, but the truth is something you seek from a professional. As explained by LGU Ibajay EnP. Gema Angelica Sijera-Agudes (an environmental planner based in Gibon that works in Ibajay), a large ship alters natural water movement, leading to increased erosion (in some areas), sediment buildup (affecting water clarity and marine life), and reduced flushing of lagoons or estuaries near the site.
There were no reported causes of oil spill, according to the Barangay Captain himself, but that doesn’t mean that it would cause no coastal damage. A stranded vessel may release metal fragments or ropes and nets that can injure marine wildlife and degrade the coastline. This might result in long-term degradation and become a source of chronic pollution of the community.
Mrs. Agudes highlights that even if this is a dire situation, there are government policies that we can suggest to prevent environmental damage. A few of them are: enforcement of ballast water and anti-pollution rules, enforcement of liability and penalty for ship owners in case of abandonment, conduction of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for ports & shipping routes, and partnerships with local governments and institutions. This way, the community’s people and environment can become safe co-creators of Baranggay Gibon's future.
FROM PETITION TO DEMOLITION: A Captain's dedication to action
The barge that was abandoned along the shores of Gibon, Nabas, for many years was a source of discomfort to the locals, as it was a symbol of the long-neglected problem that was never expected to be solved.
However, Hon. Rodrigo Calizo did not let the matter go out of his sight; he was the one who started following up on the issue. In 2018, when he was a barangay councilor and chiefly responsible for the community, he showed persistence and bravery by taking on a challenge bigger than his position.
When he became Barangay Captain in 2023, Hon. Rodrigo Calizo made it his mission to remove the barge as soon as possible. He communicated with the barge owner, the LGU, and many other agencies such as the Philippine Coast Guard, MARINA, and DENR.
“May mga lapses abi sa communication ag coordination by both parties, sa owner dahil uwa sanda naka-secure it copy of permits nga needed from DENR and MARINA. So, ang Philippine Coast Guard was assuming na gin-abandon nila ang barge, nga uwa man sila idea na gina-work out man it owner. So, wala sila coordination na may mga steps na silang na-accomplish. “
“There were lapses in communication and coordination of both parties, on the owners side because they have failed to secure copies of permits from the DENR and MARINA. So, the Philippine Coast Guard was assuming that they abandoned the barge, which they had no idea the owner was also working it out. So, they had no coordination with the steps they have already accomplished.”
“Kinaikailangan ko mag-acquire ng permits sa kanila kasi di nila pinapayagan na basta-basta lang kunin yung barge. Binalik-balikan ko talaga yon sa Iloilo City (Regional Office) para maasikaso, mahirap din. Parang pinagpasa-pasahan na nga lang ako ng mga ahensya.”
“I needed to acquire permits from them (agencies) because they won’t allow the barge’s removal just like that. I persistently transacted those concerns to the Regional Office for it to be taken care of, it’s hard. I felt like I was becoming a ping-pong ball of the agencies by their continuous denial to handle it themselves.”, says Hon. Calizo recalling his struggles to process the papers needed for the demolition.
When asked if the barge’s removal was a coincidence with the issue’s social media uproar, Captain Rodrigo doesn’t deny this. He also mentioned that it caught the eye of Jessica Soho and Raffy Tulfo in Action's team and were planning to feature it themselves.
However, at the time, the removal was already under process, so they had to cancel. As he would put it, "I even prepared my outfits for the interviews, but I guess it was a shame since it never materialized". A cancelled opportunity on camera isn't a lost cause for him though, because his eyes were set on for the betterment of the community. The failure of local government units and their bureaucracy, along with persistent inactivity for years, didn’t discourage him.
After months of hard work, it finally led to the command and actual implementation of dismantling it after more than a decade. This accomplishment is more than a logistical victory; it serves as a rekindling of how far determination and an honest love for the community can go. Gibon is now left with a cleaner environment and a barangay captain who transformed the timeworn issue into a long-awaited resolution.
LANDMARK OR LIABILITY?
What does the barge symbolize for Gibongnons? Is it simply just a wreckage where liabilities were etched, or a fading legend of how Gibon had become a serene star for tourist eyes?
Now that the giant has woken up and left, the presence it left was undeniable— a quiet reminder that it carved its own chapter in Gibon’s history. The people will remember it; even after how many years will have passed. Stories will have been told by their ancestors, letting the next generation imagine what life must’ve been with a shipyard on Gibon’s long stretched shoreline.
The dilemma that the barge has stirred throughout the eleven years of its stay, taught Gibongnons more than just unheard resilience, but the quiet courage to finally face a brighter tomorrow. Residents' worries can now be left on the shores and will eventually, find its way back to sea where it belongs. But even if the tides washes those memories away, the shore still, always, remembers.
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