Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Sunday, August 13 said he sees the necessity of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee launching its own investigation into the questionable reclamation projects in Manila Bay, particularly into the role of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) in these projects. 

Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito emphasizes the need for the government to develop a comprehensive flood-control blueprint that will be adopted by future administrations to ensure its effective and consistent execution during the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Works on proposals aimed at mitigating flooding last Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. (Senate PRIB Photo)

Ejercito noted that the PRA, a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC), has given the local government units (LGUs) the upperhand in negotiating and approving reclamation projects. 

“Probably, the Senate blue ribbon committee can look into this. Because these are all really rushed, I really have suspicions about the whole process. It was really rushed…towards the end of the Duterte administration,” Ejercito said in an interview over Radio DZBB. 

“The PRA was given the authority, through an order, and that’s what we need to study. Why give it to the LGUs, when it (Manila Bay) is considered a national asset?” he pointed out. 

The PRA earlier claimed that only three (3) ongoing projects have been affected by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive to suspend all 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay. The rest of the projects are still under various stages of compliance, according to the agency.

A majority of lawmakers and citizens have pointed to the reclamation projects as the major probable cause of the recent massive flooding that hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces, particularly in Central Luzon, which were all heavily affected by Typhoon “Egay.”

Ejercito noted that compared to the current projects, previous reclamation activities were done under the national government’s watch and the projects were titled under the Republic of the Philippines. 

This, he said, includes the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and nearby establishments. 

“I think some saw it as a way to circumvent the law…they gave the LGUs the authority to approve. That’s why we should look into it, what happened?” he stressed. 

“Is it right for LGUs to enter into contracts and be given authority to these reclamation projects? Shouldn’t that be a national project? Were the people consulted? I didn’t hear of public consultations done. So we need to look into it,” he pointed out. 

Ejercito also defended former president Rodrigo Duterte, saying he knew the former leader was also not in favor of these reclamation projects. 

“So whoever these people are, they did not inform him. Immediately, after he stepped down, they rushed these projects, it was so fast,” he pointed out. 

He also saw the need for the Senate blue ribbon panel to look deeper into why the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) had minimal say in the reclamation projects. 

“If they were not consulted, then it means the planning stages lacked the engineering aspect that is needed for this activities. That’s why we really need to look into the environmental impact assessment of these planned reclamation,” the lawmaker emphasized. 

Asked if the government is prepared to accept the repercussion the suspension of the reclamation projects would bring to the country’s economy, Ejercito said national interest should matter.

“If somebody earned from these proposals, then they approved, then they damaged our environment, are we just going to allow it? I don’t think that should be the case. Again, it’s the national interest. This is our patrimonial asset. Our patrimonial asset is at stake. It’s our heritage,” he said.

“It should weigh on the conscience of those who made a fast break of these projects. (Former) Sen. (Ralph) Recto was right in saying ‘there was a gold rush’ in approving all of these reclamation projects. And that should be investigated. They destroyed our Manila Bay,” Ejercito insisted.