Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) and Defend Manila Bay Network marched along Roxas Boulevard to Baclaran Church in Parañaque City to continue the call to stop all reclamation projects across Manila Bay
Four months ago, the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced a suspension order on all but one reclamation project in Manila Bay.
Defend Manila Bay said, “most of the projects continue to push in some parts of the bay.”
“Time is of the essence for Manila Bay’s ailing ecosystem and there is an urgent need for a genuine rehabilitation and cessation of destructive projects,” Ronnel Arambulo, convener of Defend Manila Bay Network.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said there are 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Of the 22 projects, 15 are in Metro Manila, with three under development. The remaining seven are in Calabarzon.
International environmental group Oceana obtained a document from the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) that lists 52 reclamation projects ongoing in the country as of February 28, 2023, including the 22 in Manila Bay.
Groups like PAMALAKAYA and Oceana have asked the president to issue a written order for the suspension of Manila Bay reclamation projects.
Ricardo Bagongbong, a member of PAMALAKAYA-Cavite, lamented how the 420-hectare reclamation project in Bacoor City “continues to inflict damage to marine and fishery resources.”
Bagongbong, who owns a small mussel farm (tahungan) off Bacoor Bay, identified the pollution caused by reclamation and dredging as the reasons for “deterioration of mussels and oysters (talaba)”.
“Bukod sa iba’t-ibang tipo ng isda, apektado rin ang produksyon ng tahong at talaba sa lalawigan ng Cavite dahil sa pang-matagalang pinsala ng reklamasyon. Kung dati ay kaya nang umani ng tahong sa loob ng tatlong buwan, ngayon ay tumatagal na ng lima hanggang anim na buwan bago ang anihan dahil sa masamang kalidad ng tubig ng dagat,” shared Bagongbong.
[Aside from various types of fish, mussel and oyster production in the province of Cavite is also affected due to the long-term damage of reclamation. It used to be possible to harvest mussels within three months, now it takes five to six months before harvesting due to the poor quality of sea water.]
