Santiago Island, Bolinao (Image credits: armandarribas)

In August 2019, I was invited to participate in a donation charity activity for the building of a Church in Santiago Island of Lucero, the Philippines. I was arranged to stay in Puerto Del Sol Resort that night. I got up at 5am, took a walk at the beach with the sea breeze and looked at the local customs and practices on the way. At the jetty not far away, two or three men carrying shovels, smoking a cigarette and putting fish buckets beside them, seemingly to be waiting impatiently to buy the sea goods returning to port. A few steps away, a young mother with messy hair blown by the sea breeze carried a sleeping baby on her back, holding with her hands a five or six-year-old girl with bare feet. The mother kept on her toes and looked anxiously at a ship that is approaching.

When I walked around the jetty, the day was gradually breaking, and I saw the local fishermen returning in twos and threes. I couldn't help but think of the little girl with bare feet just now. This should be a family with a hard life. While still thinking about it, suddenly there were curses from men and cries from women and children. I searched for the sound. The jetty was surrounded by many local fishermen. On a fishing boat that had just returned to the port, the two or three men who were waiting at the jetty just now stood on the port. These people ignored the fishermen on the boat, and forcibly moved seafood and fish on board. One of the tattooed men and the fishermen escalated from a dispute to a physical conflict. He fiercely picked up a wooden stick and violently beat a dark-skinned and sweaty fisherman who was arguing with them. The mother with a baby on the port saw it and ran forward desperately to catch hold of the tattooed man and cried to stop him and said, “don’t hit people, you can’t hit him. Our family depends on him for food. You can’t take all the fish away. There is also a seriously ill eldest daughter in my family who is waiting to sell the fish for money to get treatment...My daughter's life-saving money depends on these little fishes! You took all of them away... How is my daughter going to live... Do you still have a conscience...”. The young mother cried bitterly, the baby on her back and the little girl next to her were frightened and cried, and the onlookers were afraid to come forward to stop.

With sympathy and pitying the fishermen, I can no longer stand it anymore. I didn’t know where the courage came from to stand up and make my debut, “why hit people? Stop! The tattooed man shouted provocatively, “who are you, so nosy, you pity him, you come to help him pay back. The angry fishermen complained, “I didn't owe him money. I just rented their fishing boats. Today, I didn't get much from the sea. They forcibly took the seafood as collateral for today's boat rental. He is simply a robber and has no sympathy.” The tattooed man was so embarrassed that he raised his fist and wanted to hit him again. I stopped him, “if you have anything to say, don't hit anyone. I will pay for him and return him the fish. On the spot, I gave the tattooed man the money I brought with me and finally settled the matter.”

The poor fisherman and his wife bowed gratefully and thanked me again and again. Later, after inquiring, I learned that the fishermen of the small island have been fishing for generations. The island is remote and the transportation is not well developed. The fishermen here cannot afford the lorry to transport seafood caught to the urban area for wholesale. Without their own means of transportation, the fishes caught can only be wholesaled cheaply to local wholesalers. The wholesalers take the opportunity to lower prices. The fishermen brave wind and waves and danger in the sea to earn a living. They still have to be squeezed by these unscrupulous wholesalers, and their hard work can barely support their families.

Those fishermen who can't afford fishing boats can only rent boats from the wholesalers who are "boat owners" to go fishing every day. They set the "overlord clause" that if fishermen want to rent their boats, they must sell the fish to them, and the boat rentals are cashed out every day. If there is no cash, the fishes will be split based on 30% and 70%. 30% of the fish products are mortgaged for the boat rental, and 70% of the fish products are sold to them. As the saying goes, make good use of what is available. For the fishermen who live by the sea and harvest from the sea should give them a good life with plenty of food and clothing, but since this group of "fishing tyrants" appeared in this sea area, they have monopolized this sea area. They used threats and insults to force trade transactions, oppress fishermen, and make fishermen live miserably.

Knowing their living conditions, I couldn’t feel calm for a long time after returning to the resort. I didn’t expect the plots that would only appear on TV, are also appearing in real life, which is completely unimaginable in the minds of orderly Singaporeans. This night I completely lost sleep, and my eyes kept flashing the fishermen who dared not say that they were beaten and suppressed their angry faces. The young mother's crying pleading and the thin and poor little girl with bare feet suddenly realized that there is no hurry to donate money to the church for believers to have a place to gather, pray, and soothe the soul. It is our social welfare to help poor families solve their difficulties.

The next day, the church charity staff David came to me to discuss donation matters. I told him what I heard and seen on the beach. At the same time, I apologized, “I’m sorry, David, I will donate to the church next time. I want to buy a bigger fishing boat, I hope to help those who need it most, please be understanding.” At this time, I felt relieved for the decision I had made as the safety of the fishermen has always been my primary concern. Unexpectedly, David looked at me for a long time without speaking. He patted my shoulder and said, “Des, I support you. It is an honor for Filipinos to have a caring person like you in the Philippines. You are really our Filipinos’ friend!”

The enthusiastic David helped me contact the local fishery and fishing shipyard and learned that buying a wooden fishing boat would cost about 250,000 pesos, about (S$7000). Personally, I felt that there is no need to hesitate to do the right thing. So I immediately bought the fishing boat and gave it to that fisherman, I hope they have a boat of their own, a fishing boat! It is the livelihood of fishermen and a tool to protect the family's income.

After returning to Singapore, David and I have kept in touch with each other, and it has also taught me that more local fishermen have the same fate of renting boat, being squeezed, oppressed, and exploited. I felt lucky to be born in Singapore which is a stable, peaceful and prosperous country. Thus, I deeply sympathize with the fishermen on the small island who suffer for earning a living.

In November, I went to the island again, wanting to see how the fishermen are doing now. Upon learning of my arrival, David came to greet me early. The honest fishermen and the couple insisted on inviting us to their home in order to express their gratitude. The couples said, ”we are lucky to have your help. Now we finally have our own boat. We can choose the wholesaler to sell fish. We will no longer be squeezed by the "fishing tyrants", which also guaranteed our livelihood, our eldest daughter was treated in time. But the local poor fishermen were still bullied by these people... On the same day, several nearby fishermen complained to me, “we tide over wind and rain, but in case of no gain, we still have to pay for the boat rental, but we have no choice but to suffer in silence... Sir, please, help us... At this time, many pairs of expectant eyes looked at me, making me unable to refuse.

Day after day, year after year of hard work and life, these wrinkled and dark faces look so vicissitudes, and the daily high boat rental is like an invisible mountain that makes them unable to breathe. I could not help but feel sympathy and help them again. I asked David to contact the shipyard to order another fishing boat, and properly arrange for several poorer fishermen to share this fishing boat in turn, and defer their difficulties.

Be kind to others and worry about others. Because of this, I got to know many local fishermen. I have a better understanding of these families who rely on the sea to support their families and rent boats to make a living. They have very little income, make ends meet, and life is extremely difficult. They all hope that I can order more fishing boats to help them, I understand that they are not here to take advantage. They are all honest fishermen, because they can only seek help from outsiders because of difficulties in life.

After returning from the island, the weather-beaten faces and helpless eyes of these fishermen lingered in my mind, so I decided to help again. In January 2020, I contacted the local shipyard to order the same fishing boat through David again in January 2020 from them to share, the shipyard replied, “the fishing boat currently being built has already booked by customers. Now the order will not be delivered until March.”

In 2020, affected by the December 2019 epidemic, the number of new COVID-19 cases in various countries continues to increase, and the pressure to prevent and control the epidemic has increased. Many countries have successively introduced measures to strictly control flows and tighten borders. Some countries have declared a "state of emergency", and many countries have even returned to the implementation of "closing the city", strictly controlling the flow of internal personnel, and tightening the borders, starting from 7 April. Singapore began to implement the "circuit breaker" measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic. People are preparing for "home" and storing supplies, people are hoarding goods for daily necessities. The epidemic is spreading around the world. In order to ensure the people's normal life needs, the Singaporean government effectively guarantees sufficient supermarket goods to meet the supply of goods during the epidemic prevention and control period and ensure people's livelihood issues. What a blessing to be in Singapore.

Under the severe impact of the epidemic, fishermen on the island, are you all fine now? For a while, my heart is filled with a sense of helplessness that I have never had before, my own strength, limited ability, cannot help the public. It can be said that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak...When I was frustrated, I inadvertently glanced at the TV screen: "Love for charity, sincere love warms people's hearts". Suddenly, my heart became clear. Social power is not the power of a single person, but the power of a common group in society. I myself, at Block 681 Hougang Avenue 8, #01-865, Singapore 530681, is engaged in the supply of imported and local fresh vegetables. Why not create an online distribution platform, so that Singaporeans can work from home and buy fresh and healthy vegetables online without time and effort? From the society and giving back to the society, the platform income is used to pay to help the small island fishermen realize their dream of owning a fishing boat. This also helped a poor family.

So, by chance, the SGWetmarket online fresh vegetable shopping platform was born. After founding sgwetmarket.com.sg, I realized that I had no ambitions and supported my motivation to move forward. I just hoped that I could give others more help. Pay more attention to the low-income level people living in society, and have more positive energy in our society. There are not so many great sentiments in life. In this process, I can help more people. This is my direction, hope. This platform not only belong to me, but also belong to you who came here by fate. There are no swiping orders, no advertisements, no routines. I just want to leave the purest and most authentic impression. sgwetmarket.com.sg is not just an online "vegetable basket" vegetable shopping, it is also a platform for spreading love. Because of your love and support, we have helped one more poor family. A little love will illuminate the world and deliver positive energy. sgwetmarket.com.sg hopes to get the support, sharing and feedback from fated person. Come on, let sgwetmarket.com.sg grow together!