GUBAT, SORSOGON — On a quiet stretch of shoreline where fishing boats rest between tides and families draw their livelihood from the sea, a different gathering unfolded on October 3. Cameras clicked, poems were recited, and handmade placards rose against the backdrop of Gubat Bay.

What emerged was more than a photowalk or poetry reading. It was a collective act of witnessing, a reminder that the bay is not merely a scenic landscape but a living environment whose future remains deeply intertwined with the lives of coastal communities.

Artists, photographers, poets, fisherfolk, environmental advocates, and residents came together for “Lakat-Lente nan Rawit-Dawit sa Baybayon: Photowalk x Poetry Reading at Gubat Bay,” a community-based creative initiative organized by the Kurit-Lagting Art Collective, the Save Gubat Bay Movement (SGBM), and Rhymes of PEG.

Held as part of Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk 2026 and Design Week Philippines, the event transformed art into a platform for environmental awareness, community storytelling, and civic engagement.

Participants walked along selected sections of Gubat’s coast, documenting scenes of daily life shaped by the sea. Fisherfolk tending their boats, children gathering along the shore, and the rhythms of a coastal community became subjects not merely of photography but of reflection.

For organizers, the objective went beyond producing memorable images.

“Photography can do more than capture what is beautiful. It can help us see what is at stake,” said Allan Abrigo, walk leader and co-founder of Kurit-Lagting Art Collective.

“When we photograph the people, livelihoods and ecosystems connected to the coast, we are also creating a visual record of what communities want to protect.”

The activity invited participants to see the coastline not as a picturesque destination but as a social and ecological landscape shaped by livelihood, culture, memory, and environmental change.

That perspective resonated strongly with members of the Save Gubat Bay Movement, a community organization composed primarily of fisherfolk and coastal residents who have advocated for the protection of the bay.

During the gathering, community members held placards expressing support for coastal conservation and voicing concerns over proposed coastal road projects. Their message was simple but urgent: the bay is more than water and shoreline. It is home.

“The bay is not just a backdrop,” said Allan Espallardo, president of SGBM.

“It is where people live, work and earn their livelihood. Through this activity, we were able to bring the voices of fisherfolk and coastal residents into a creative space where more people can see why protecting Gubat Bay matters.”

The visual documentation was later complemented by poetry.

As day faded into evening, participants gathered for a poetry reading that allowed artists and residents to respond to the coast through memory, emotion, and personal reflection. The shift from image-making to spoken word created another way of understanding place, revealing how landscapes are experienced not only through sight but through feeling.

“Poetry gives us another language for expressing what we feel about a place,” said Jessa Erandio of Rhymes of PEG.

“After seeing the coast through photographs and hearing from the community, the poems became another way of giving voice to our relationship with the sea.”

SELECTED PHOTO ENTRIES

Entry # 1 – BASNIG | John Cendrix Bautista

What did you see during the walk? Maybe it was a fisherfolk whose life is shaped by the sea, from the daily struggle for livelihood to the growing threats facing the coastal environment. Maybe it was a landscape, a moment of work, or a glimpse of the relationship between the community and the sea.

Entry # 2 – SA BAWAT ALON NG BUHAY | Glen Jaylo

Isang mangingisda, naglalaot sa malawak na karagatan. Isang lambat at bangka ang kanyang karamay. Sa tuwing madaling araw, naglalayag, sa bawat alon ng buhay.

What did you see during the walk? Maybe it was a fisherfolk whose life is shaped by the sea, from the daily struggle for livelihood to the growing threats facing the coastal environment. Maybe it was a landscape, a moment of work, or a glimpse of the relationship between the community and the sea.

Entry # 3 – A LIFE AFLOAT | Marc Louise B. Villariño

What did you see during the walk?

Maybe it was a fisherfolk whose life is shaped by the sea, from the daily struggle for livelihood to the growing threats facing the coastal environment. Along Calayucay Beach in Sitio Gumang, Gubat, Sorsogon, the coast is home, workplace, and a way of life.

Today, this way of life faces concerns over reclamation, coastal road projects, and the threat of mangrove cutting. Through photography, we can document the people, places, stories, and realities along the coast, and help bring these concerns into view.

Entry # 4 – BANCA NAN LAMBAT SA BAYBAYON KAN GUBAT | Marie Pura

A banca, a net, and the open sea. For Gubat’s fisherfolk, these are more than symbols of coastal life. They are part of a daily struggle for livelihood and a deep connection to the sea.

But the coastal landscape they depend on is facing changes and pressures, including proposed reclamation and coastal road projects, as well as concerns over the loss of mangroves. Through photography, we can help document the people, livelihoods, places, and stories connected to the coast, while bringing greater attention to the realities and concerns of coastal communities.

Entry # 5 – PASAN | John Carlo Espenida

The photo reflects the risks and responsibilities carried by fisherfolk each time they go to sea. Their work is not only about catching fish, but about facing uncertainty, danger, and exhaustion to provide for their families.

Despite the risks and the uncertainty of the catch, they continue to sail before sunrise, carrying both the demands of livelihood and the hopes of the families waiting for them to return home.

Entry # 6 – WAIST-DEEP IN UNCERTAINTY | Kobe Jasper Gabion

How deep must a community wade into uncertainty before its future is put at risk?

Through Waist-Deep in Uncertainty, Kobe Jasper Gabion invites us to reflect on the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities whose futures are increasingly shaped by development decisions. In Gubat, Sorsogon, concerns over the proposed coastal road have brought fisherfolk and local advocates together to raise questions about the protection of the bay, marine ecosystems, and the communities that depend on them.

This photograph reminds us that the stakes are not only about infrastructure, but also about the people, livelihoods, and environments that may be left vulnerable.

Through photography, we are invited to look beyond the shoreline and consider what is at stake when development moves forward without meaningful community participation and environmental protection.

Entry # 7 – HAMPAS NG SAGWAN, TIBOK NG PAMAYANAN | Christopher Leyson

Every stroke of the paddle carries more than a boat across the water. It carries the labor, resilience, and shared hopes of a coastal community whose lives are deeply connected to the bay.

In Gubat, Sorsogon, the sea is not merely a landscape. It is a source of livelihood, a space for community life, and a legacy passed from one generation to the next. Yet, as fisherfolk and artists raise concerns about the proposed coastal road, questions emerge about the future of the waters and communities that sustain one another.

The rhythm of the paddle echoes the heartbeat of the community. May development listen to that rhythm, respect the people who call the coast home, and protect the bay that sustains them.

Entry # 8 – LAMBAT (Fishnet) | Tyrone Morato

A lambat as a fishing tool, is part of the daily labor, knowledge, and livelihood of fishing communities. Woven into its mesh are the efforts of fisherfolk who depend on the sea to sustain their families.

Along the shores of Gubat Bay, every net carries a story of work, uncertainty, and hope. These are the everyday realities worth seeing through our lenses and protecting for generations to come.

If development aggression continues, what happens to the fishing nets when the waters they depend on are threatened? What happens to the livelihoods, traditions, and futures woven into every strand?

Entry # 9 – “SULYAP KAN PAGLAOM” (Glimpse of Hope) | Daryl Palcuto

The portrait captures the dignity and resilience of an elder. Every line etched into their skin carries stories of perseverance, experience, and wisdom. In their gaze toward the distance lies a quiet strength and hope for the days yet to come.

Sulyap kan Paglaom pays tribute to the elders in our communities, whose lives continue to offer light, wisdom, and inspiration to the generations that follow.

In documenting the people of Gubat Bay, we also recognize the memories, stories, and hopes that shape a community and its future.

Entry # 10 – WAITING FOR THE TIDE | Abegail Sayson

At low tide, the traps rest and the boat waits. For this fishing community, patience is part of the craft, and the sea sets the schedule.

But the rhythms of fishing depend on more than the tides. They depend on access to coastal waters, healthy marine ecosystems, and the continued protection of the places where fisherfolk make their living.

As development aggression threatens coastal communities, whose livelihoods are put at risk when the relationship between people and the sea is disrupted?

Entry # 11 – KATIG SA GILID | Aladino Gojo Jr.

Sa gilid nin dagat, may mga pangarap na tahimik na naglalayag, padagos sa alon, padagos sa buhay. Dai man pirmi malinaw an dalan, basta may puso asin paglaom, makakaabot man.

Along the shores, dreams continue to sail quietly, carried by the waves and sustained by the determination to keep going. The path may not always be clear, but with courage and hope, the journey continues.

For coastal communities, the sea is not merely a horizon. It is a source of livelihood, a home for generations, and a future worth defending. As destructive development threatens our coastlines, we must ask: will the dreams of fishing communities still have room to sail?

Entry # 12 – PAGABOT HALI SA LAWOD | Jhad Jhad

Pag-abot hali sa lawod, dai lang sira an inuuli, kundi paglaom para sa pamilya.

Every wave carries his sacrifice, every paddle brings him closer to home. Behind every catch is the hard work of a fisherfolk whose journey does not end at sea, but continues in the responsibility of providing for the family waiting ashore.

Sa lawod man kun sain ka pagal, basta may naghahalat sa durho kan lawod, padagos lang kita.

No matter how exhausting the journey across the sea may be, we keep going because someone is waiting for us at the shore.

But what happens when the waters that sustain these families are threatened? Protecting Gubat Bay means protecting the livelihoods, homes, and hopes of the communities who depend on it.

Entry # 13 – SAGWAN | Moroni Jared Bose

With every stroke of the oar, he writes a quiet story upon the water: of dreams carried by the wind, struggles hidden beneath the waves, and a heart that refuses to surrender. The sea may be vast and the journey uncertain, yet he keeps rowing, for beyond every horizon lies the promise of another tomorrow.

For fisherfolk, every journey across the water carries more than the hope of a catch. It carries the weight of providing for their families and sustaining a way of life deeply rooted in the sea.

As reclamation and coastal road projects threaten the future of coastal communities, whose journeys will be disrupted, and whose hopes will be left behind?

Protecting Gubat Bay means protecting the people whose lives, livelihoods, and dreams move with its tides.

Entry (not numbered) – LAMBAT |Jeff Dela Rosa

Sa bawat buhol ng lambat, nakatali ang pag-asa. Sa bawat hiblang inaayos, may pamilyang naghihintay at kinabukasang patuloy na ipinaglalaban.

In this photograph, Jeff Dela Rosa captures the quiet yet enduring labor of a fisherfolk whose life revolves around the rhythms of the sea. Beyond the fading light and gentle waves is a story of perseverance, responsibility, and hope for a better catch tomorrow.

But for fishing communities in Gubat, Sorsogon, the future of their livelihood depends not only on their hard work, but also on the health of the waters they depend on. As fisherfolk and artists raise concerns about the proposed coastal road, their stories remind us that development must consider the people whose lives are woven into the coast.

Like a fishing net, a community is held together by countless interconnected strands. Protecting the bay means protecting these connections, the livelihoods they sustain, and the generations that depend on them.

Ang lambat ay hindi lamang kasangkapan sa pangingisda. Ito ay sagisag ng kabuhayan, pag-asa, at ugnayan ng pamayanang baybayin.

Entry # 14 – GUBAT BAY FISHERMAN | Ramon Jazmin

For generations, Gubat Bay has been a fishing ground and a source of life for coastal communities. But for marginalized fisherfolk, the future of the bay and the livelihood it sustains has become increasingly uncertain.

What some call progress may mean roads, infrastructure, and development. For fisherfolk, however, progress that threatens fishing grounds, damages coastal ecosystems, and disregards community voices can mean lost livelihoods, empty nets, and an uncertain tomorrow.

Through Gubat Bay Fisherman, Ramon Jazmin draws our attention to the people behind the catch: those whose lives are shaped by the sea and whose labor sustains families and communities. Their struggle reminds us that the true measure of development cannot be found in concrete and infrastructure alone, but in whether it protects the environment and respects the people who depend on it.

As fisherfolk and artists in Gubat, Sorsogon, speak out about coastal development concerns, this photograph asks us to confront an important question: Progress for whom, and at whose expense?

The bay is more than a stretch of water. It is a living source of livelihood, identity, and collective memory. Protecting Gubat Bay means protecting the rights of fisherfolk to a sustainable livelihood and a future where they can continue to live with dignity.

Hindi lahat ng tinatawag na pag-unlad ay pag-unlad para sa lahat. Kung kapalit nito ang kabuhayan ng mga mangingisda, sino nga ba ang tunay na nakikinabang?

Entry # 15 – PARASIRA | TEI Ataiza

Some journeys are not measured by how far we go, but by how much we carry home. For every fisherfolk who ventures into the sea, each pull of the net carries more than the promise of a catch. It carries sacrifice, hope, and the responsibility of providing for a family.

In Parasira, TEI Ataiza captures the quiet courage of a fisher whose labor reflects the enduring relationship between people and the sea. Behind every journey home is a livelihood shaped by the tides, the condition of fishing grounds, and the uncertainties of tomorrow.

But what happens when the waters that sustain a community are threatened by development that puts coastal ecosystems and fishing livelihoods at risk?

In Gubat, Sorsogon, fisherfolk and artists have been raising concerns about the proposed coastal road and what it could mean for the bay and the communities that depend on it. Their stories remind us that protecting the coast is also about protecting the people whose lives, culture, and future are inseparable from the sea.

Because for a parasira, the journey does not end when the boat reaches the shore. It continues in the food placed on the family table, the hopes carried into another day, and the fight to preserve a livelihood for generations to come.

Entry # 16 – TIMON NG BUHAY” (Rudder of Life) | Jameica Nicole Dollesin

Every journey needs direction, and every family deserves a future worth navigating toward.

In Timon ng Buhay, Jameica Nicole Dollesin captures a fisherman at sea, where the rudder becomes a symbol of guidance, perseverance, and the determination to provide for his family. His boat carries him through uncertain waters, while every hour of labor reflects sacrifices that often remain unseen.

Yet, even the strongest hands cannot control every change in the waters they depend on. In Gubat, Sorsogon, concerns surrounding the proposed coastal road have brought attention to the potential consequences of development for fishing grounds, coastal ecosystems, and the livelihoods of marginalized fisherfolk.

For those whose lives are guided by the sea, changes to the coastline may also change the course of their future. Their voices and experiences must be part of decisions that affect their homes, livelihoods, and communities.

This photograph reminds us that a rudder does more than steer a boat. It represents the hope of finding a way forward, even when the waters ahead are uncertain.

Entry # 17 – BANAYAD NA ALON SA DALAMPASIGAN” (Gentle Waves Along the Shore) | Danna Garbida

For the fisherfolk of Gubat, Sorsogon, a peaceful life is not measured by wealth, but by the simple assurance that tomorrow will bring enough to provide for their families. It is the freedom to make a living from the sea, the comfort of coming home safely, and the hope that future generations can continue the life their communities have known for generations.

Yet beneath the calm surface of the water lies a deeper struggle. Every stroke of the paddle carries the weight of a family’s needs and the determination to protect a way of life increasingly threatened by changes along the coast.

As concerns over the proposed coastal road in Gubat grow, so do questions about the future of the bay and the people who depend on it. When coastal ecosystems are put at risk, the consequences reach far beyond the shoreline. They touch family livelihoods, community traditions, and the future of generations yet to come.

Through Banayad na Alon sa Dalampasigan, Danna reminds us that the fisherfolk’s aspirations are deeply human: to live with dignity, to work without fear of losing their livelihood, and to leave behind a sea that can continue to sustain their children.

Entry # 18 – LAWOD | Bham Digo

With every crashing wave and every journey into the open sea, a fisher carries the hope of bringing home more than a catch. He carries the promise of another day, the needs of his family, and the quiet determination to keep going despite the uncertainties of life at sea.

For the fisherfolk of Gubat, Sorsogon, the sea is a source of livelihood, a way of life, and a foundation of community and identity. Its waters sustain families, while its shores hold generations of memories, traditions, and aspirations.

But what happens when the sea that has sustained them for generations can no longer provide? Changes to the coastline can have consequences that reach far beyond the landscape, affecting fishing grounds, livelihoods, and the future of those who depend on the sea.

Through Lawod, Bham Digo invites us to look beyond the waves and recognize what is at stake. The sea is not simply something to admire or develop. For the fisherfolk, it is life itself, deserving of protection and respect.

Entry # 19 – AN PARASIRA | Marjorie Bon

Along the shoreline, every frame holds a story. Through the lens, Marjorie Bon brings us closer to the lives of fisherfolk whose days are shaped by the tides, whose hands carry the weight of hard work, and whose hopes return home with every catch.

Behind every net pulled from the water is a family’s dream. Behind every journey across the open sea is a quiet courage that persists through changing weather, uncertain harvests, and the daily struggle to make ends meet. For the fisherfolk of Gubat, Sorsogon, the sea is not simply part of the landscape. It is their livelihood, their heritage, and a lifeline connecting generations.

But how can these stories continue if the very waters that sustain them are put at risk? As concerns over the proposed coastal road in Gubat bring the future of the bay into focus, we are reminded that protecting the environment also means protecting the people whose lives depend on it.

An Parasira is more than a tribute to the fisherfolk. It is a call to care for the shoreline, protect the sea, and recognize the dignity of the communities who have long served as its stewards.

The responsibility belongs to all of us: to keep our shores clean, safeguard our marine ecosystems, listen to coastal communities, and ensure that development does not leave those who depend on the sea behind.

Entry # 20 – DANGGIT SA GUBAT BAY | Nash Jamrec L. Dioquino

From the sea to the drying racks, every dangit tells a story of livelihood, labor, and a community shaped by the waters of Gubat Bay.

Through this photograph, Nash highlights the local production of dried danggit, a livelihood that transforms the day’s catch into sustenance and income for families.

Beyond the fish laid out to dry are the hands that prepare them, the knowledge passed down through generations, and the everyday work that keeps coastal economies alive.

But this livelihood depends on a healthy and productive sea. When fishing grounds and coastal ecosystems are threatened, the effects extend beyond the fishermen who venture offshore. They also reach the families and small-scale producers whose incomes depend on the catch.

Entry # 21 – BOSES (Diptych Photo) | Angela Grace Dave

Every community has a story to tell. Some stories are heard in the voices of its people, while others are revealed through their everyday struggles, their work, and their enduring connection to the places they call home.

Through Boses, Angela uses photography to bring attention to the lives and experiences of coastal communities. Each frame becomes an opportunity to listen, to look beyond the familiar landscape, and to recognize the people whose livelihoods and futures are tied to the sea.

In Gubat, Sorsogon, the voices of fisherfolk carry concerns about the future of Gubat Bay amid discussions surrounding the proposed coastal road. Their stories remind us that decisions affecting the coastline must also consider the people who depend on its waters for food, income, and a way of life.

Entry # 22 – HIS LIFE, HIS SEA | Gilbert Catabian

For fisherfolk, the sea is a way of life, a source of sustenance, and a legacy carried across generations. Every journey into the waters reflects the hopes, struggles, and resilience of coastal communities whose lives are deeply connected to the sea.

As Gubat Bay faces growing development pressures, protecting the coast means protecting the people who depend on it. Their lives, livelihoods, and future must remain part of every conversation about progress.

Entry # 23 – A FISHER’S LIFE | Venus Ashtred Briñola

For fishers, the sea is where they work, earn a living, and find a way to provide for their families. Every fishing trip comes with hard work, uncertainty, and the hope of bringing home a good catch.

In Gubat, protecting the sea also means looking after the people who depend on it. Their livelihoods, stories, and future matter.

As development moves forward, their voices deserve to be heard, and the waters they have relied on for generations deserve to be protected.

CONCLUSION

For Geri Matthew “Choi” Carretero, co-founder of Kurit-Lagting Art Collective, the event demonstrated how creative practice can serve both artistic and civic purposes.

“Lakat-Lente gave us a chance to use art to pay closer attention to the coast and the people connected to it,” he said.

“The images can become a way of opening conversations about what we value, what we need to protect, and what kind of future we want for places like Gubat Bay.”

The gathering reflected the spirit of this year’s Design Week Philippines theme, “Sama All,” which emphasizes collaboration, participation, and shared creative experiences. Yet the event also pointed to something deeper: the growing role of community-based arts in environmental advocacy.

By bringing together people who experience the coast from different perspectives, fisherfolk whose livelihoods depend on the sea, artists who interpret it, photographers who document it, and poets who give language to it, the activity created a space where creativity and stewardship converged.

Kurit-Lagting’s engagement with Gubat is part of a continuing effort to use art as a bridge between communities and the places they inhabit. The collective’s collaboration with local partners builds on earlier initiatives in Gubat and follows similar programs conducted elsewhere in the country, including a Lakat-Lente photowalk in Pampanga in 2025.

Organizers are now planning an exhibition featuring selected photographs and creative works produced during the gathering. The exhibition is envisioned as another platform for amplifying community voices and encouraging public conversations about the protection of Gubat Bay and other vulnerable coastal environments.

In a time when many coastal communities face mounting environmental pressures, the event offered a different form of advocacy, one expressed not through policy papers or technical reports but through photographs, poems, and stories.

Along the shores of Gubat Bay, art became a way of listening. And in that act of listening, the coast found new voices to speak for its future.

This article is based on the Kurit-Lagting Art Collective article “Fisherfolk and Artists Use Art to Raise Awareness for Coastal Protection” published in Pressenza.com, October 10, 2026. The featured photo captions are based on the Kurit-Lagting Art Collective FB posts. All photos by Kurit-Lagting Art Collective, except the featured entries.

The Kurit-Lagting is a collective artistic collaboration of Bicolano artists from Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Masbate and Camarines provinces with art advocacies on human rights and the environment. The Art Collective is a member of the Sorsogon Arts Council and the Concerned Artists of the Philippines Bicol Chapter.