MANILA – Senators on Wednesday, August 9, lauded President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s move to suspend nearly all reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
President Marcos has suspended the ongoing Manila Bay reclamation activities except for one pending the review of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“I am happy that President Marcos is suspending the reclamation in Manila Bay,” Sen. Cynthia A. Villar said in a statement.
“This is good news to us who are afraid of the ill-effects of reclamation which will cause massive flooding in our cities,” she added.
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said the President’s decision is a “very welcome development.”
“I support the President’s decision 100 percent,” he stressed.
Senator Risa Hontiveros also welcomed the decision of the President but urged government “to reject all” China-funded reclamation projects in the Philippines.
Hontiveros cited reports that two of the six initially approved reclamation projects in Manila Bay are executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., a subsidiary of China state-owned Communications Construction Co. or CCCC.
“I welcome the President’s suspension, but government should not approve reclamation projects by China state-owned companies anymore. Certainly not now,” she said.
“CCCC, like its home country China, has committed many violations against the Philippines. From building artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea to now reclaiming land in Metro Manila, China is destroying Philippine territory left, right, and center. Nabawasan lalo ang respeto ko sa Tsina (I have lost respect for China). Nanghihimasok na nga sa Pilipinas, sinisira pa ang ating likas-yaman (They have not only inured in our territory, they also destroying our natural resources),” she added.
In 2022, Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution No. 300, asking the Upper Chamber to conduct an inquiry into the reported large-scale land reclamation projects being undertaken on a nationwide scale in the Philippines.
In the resolution, the senator cited scientist Dr. Giovanni Tapang who warned that the reclamation of more than 38,000 hectares, 26,232 hectares of which are along the coast of Manila Bay, covered by the National Reclamation Plan will translate to a loss of the same area of seagrass, the spawning ground, and habitat of aquatic life, leading to an annual loss of 4-7 billion invertebrates and 3-78 trillion fish.
“Housing and commercial areas in planned reclamation projects will put people in harm’s way. Food security will also be affected, especially since Manila Bay is an important fishing ground. Reclamation will destroy remaining marine habitats, like mangroves, seagrasses, and coral ecosystems,” Hontiveros said.
“These China-funded reclamation projects may cause irreversible damage to our cherished natural resources,” she stressed. (MB)
