Twenty-three (23) artists from across the country have joined “Ink for Impact: An Editorial Cartoon Challenge,” using their craft to show the struggles of Gubat’s fisherfolk and coastal communities.
Organized by the Save Gubat Bay Movement (SGBM) in partnership with the Kurit-Lagting Art Collective, Rhymes of Peg, and the Concerned Artists of the Philippines Bicol Chapter (CAP Bicol), the initiative served as a platform for editorial cartoonists to illustrate the threats posed by destructive development projects.
Most of the works depict issues such as land grabbing, environmental destruction, and the displacement of fishing communities due to large-scale projects like casinos, coastal roads, and commercial resorts.
Loie F. Guibone of Bohol was recognized for the Best Entry with his cartoon depicting the struggles of fisherfolk amid uncontrolled development.
His winning cartoon shows how poor families, especially fisherfolk, would survive as destructive development projects continued to threaten their livelihoods.
“Art itself is an inspiration. It is free. As cartoonists, illustrating issues and concerns is the best we can do to inspire and persuade the public,” Guibone stated.
Meanwhile, the 23 participating artists included:
Cristian Dale Pastrana
Loie F. Guibone
Luige Dela Torre
Mae Joy Laguardia
Nick Esquivias
Treshia Tomalabcad
Zarah H. Santos
Janzen Daryl Solloso
Julien Apple T. Guevara
Laurence Anne Herrera
Francis Aaron Ramirez
Uriel Madrid
Edjoniel Boragay
Dahfayne Barrozo
Miguel Pilarca
Gerald Malco
Aegyo Minatozaki
Samuel Cajayon
Howard Adam
Jiha Mantua
John Denver Dugan
Jostine Monares
Kei Tumibay
Art as a Tool for Awareness
Editorial cartoons have long been a medium for political and social critique. “Ink for Impact” reinforced this tradition, with participants creating striking images of coastal degradation and economic displacement.
Kurit-Lagting Art Collective co-founders and CAP Bicol members Allan Abrigo and Choi Carretero praised the artists for their powerful visual storytelling.
“These cartoons capture the heartbreaking reality of Gubat’s fisherfolk, who are losing their livelihoods and homes in the name of ‘development,’” they said.
The challenge was more than an artistic exercise—it was a call to action.
Allan Espallardo of the Save Gubat Bay Movement emphasized the need for inclusive and sustainable development.
As threats to Gubat’s coastal communities persist, the work of these 23 artists serves as a powerful reminder that art can be a catalyst for change.
The Ink for Impact editorial cartoon challenge was launched in solidarity with fisherfolk, crab farmers, and coastal community members from Gubat, Sorsogon, seeking to amplify the voices of Gubat’s coastal communities, shedding light on their environmental and socio-economic struggles.| Alliah Jane Babila