Fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) has urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to expedite its cumulative assessment of the Manila Bay reclamation projects.

In a statement, the group said the environment department is “taking too long” in its assessment as there is an “urgent need to totally stop every single reclamation project in Manila Bay and immediately carry out a complete rehabilitation and restoration of its degraded ecosystems.”

“Why is the DENR taking too long to conduct its cumulative impact assessment on reclamation when there are already available studies and evidence of its irreversible damages?” the Pamalakaya stated.

As the DENR's decision regarding reclamation takes time, the damage they cause to Manila Bay and the fishermen who depend on it expands and deepens, the group pointed out.

“Dahil sa kabila ng kautusang pansamantalang isuspinde ang reklamasyon, marami pa rin naman ang nagpapatuloy na proyekto lalo sa lalawigan ng Bulacan, Bataan, at ilang bayan sa National Capital Region (Because despite the order to temporarily suspend the reclamation, there are still many ongoing projects, especially in the province of Bulacan, Bataan, and some towns in the National Capital Region),” said Pamalakaya Chairperson Fernando Hicap.

According to Pamalakaya, the DENR should also look into companies that do not suspend operations while the cumulative assessment is being conducted, and hold accountable those found to be in violation.

In an ambush interview on Oct. 13, Loyzaga told The Manila Bulletin that the agency’s review of the 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay is expected to end "very soon.”

The review is part of President Marcos' order in May this year to suspend all reclamation projects in Manila Bay amid concerns about their environmental impact. 

Several environmental groups have urged the DENR to halt reclamation efforts in Manila Bay, citing the potential detrimental long-term and irreversible environmental repercussions of the reclamation.

“It is clear that these (reclamation) projects have already started, and resulted in an alarming degradation of the environment destroying the mangroves, denying fisherfolk of their fishing livelihood and sources of food, and the destruction of seagrass and the seabed by dredging, thus impeding better habitats and spawning grounds of fisheries resources. This is simply unjust and unacceptable,” said international environmental group Oceana said in a statement.