The storm took the roof first, then the boat. For a fishing family in Tawi-Tawi, the second loss was the one that mattered more — a boat is not a possession, it is the only income the household has.
Across several island communities, a severe storm season damaged or destroyed the majority of small fishing boats. PhilCare's response, working with local boatbuilders rather than an outside contractor, helped rebuild the fleet over more than a year.
Rebuilding the boat, rewriting the agreement
What outlasted the rebuild itself was the cooperative that formed around it. Instead of each household owning its equipment alone, member families now share nets, engines, and cold storage — a decision made by the fisherfolk themselves partway through the project, once it became clear that shared equipment meant less to replace next time.
“We built the boats again. Then we decided we would not go back to how it was before.”
The cooperative has since weathered another storm season without a full rebuild. Damage still happens. It is smaller, and it is shared.
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