MANILA BAY RECLAMATION — This aerial shot taken on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, shows the extent of one of the reclamation projects that is being undertaken in Manila Bay. On Aug. 11, 2023, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay, pending a review by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and to ensure that these are compliant with all applicable laws and regulations. (Mark Balmores)
In one of the hotels along the fringes of Manila Bay, the added “value” of having a sunset as your front-row view while sipping a cocktail is now gone. You can still see its hues from afar, but the world-famous Manila Bay sunset — that distinct mandarin-orange sun marking the end of a day — is nowhere to be found.
The once-calming crash of waves has surrendered to an eerie silence. Instead of the soothing body of water, you now face an endless stretch of sand and stone rising like a great wall, mimicking a fortress where we are not welcome. This is now the reclaimed land, which is quietly — and swiftly — transforming a portion of the Manila Bay. This gray landscape used to be a seascape just a few months ago.
Unbeknownst to the majority, portions of Manila Bay’s waters have been converted into reclaimed land.
Now, how about the sunset — that one which is part of our collective memory as a Filipino? The sunset will never disappear, but reclamation casts a wide shadow. It’s possible that there will come a time when Roxas Boulevard — if all these reclamation projects will come into fruition — will just be among the many boulevards of broken dreams, a lonely stretch of road far from the nostalgic sunsets of yore.
Suspension of projects
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has suspended all 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay. This number, however, is disputed by the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), which said that there are only 13. Regardless of the precise number, there is a public consensus that these projects will truly alter the seascape — or more appropriately, the landscape — of a broad area.
It should be clear that these reclamation projects are not suspended indefinitely, but rather “suspended, pending review.”
“We are here at that point where the President has issued the suspension of reclamation projects in Manila Bay… (we) really have to look into, number one, the environmental impacts and also the social impacts of these activities,” said DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga.
“On the part of the DENR, we are looking into the compliances, the conditions under which the ECCs (Environmental Compliance Certificates) and area clearances were issued,” she said.
Deeper perspective
According to reports, the ECCs of these reclamation projects under scrutiny were issued during the previous administration. At that time, there was nary an uproar about these projects, which progressed under the radar. No one noticed as the world was glued on Covid-related issues, and the government had its hands full.
To gain a deeper perspective, I asked a retired urban planning expert involved in reclamation projects during the administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Requesting anonymity, he explained that reclamation itself is not inherently problematic. He recalled witnessing the approval of some reclamation projects during his time, many of which now serve as productive lands.
What we have to critically look for, he said, is the rigorousness and accuracy of all the compliance and requirements submitted by companies undertaking reclamation. He said that the PRA, which is under the Office of the President, has a list of stringent requirements that each company has to comply with. Acquiring the DENR's ECC is not an easy task either; certain companies even engage foreign consultants or collaborate with overseas entities known for their sustainable practices to meet the demanding standards.
The “noise” regarding these reclamation projects started in the past few weeks, initiated by the devastation caused by typhoons that submerged extensive areas of Bulacan. Provincial leaders implored the President to look into the reclamation projects in the Manila Bay as they attribute the floods plaguing Bulacan recently to these developments.
The gravity of the situation prompted Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, a Bulakenyo, to announce that he will resign “if it is proven that reclamation didn’t worsen Bulacan floods.”
During a Senate hearing, Villanueva presented this observation to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan: “since the commencement of these reclamation projects, both past and present, flooding in Bulacan has intensified, submerging towns and cities underwater for days.” Historically, floodwaters easily flowed toward Manila Bay. But with the reclamation projects “blocking” the path, floodwaters flowed instead into homes and buildings during typhoons.
The US Embassy sounded the alarm that one of the companies doing reclamation projects have ties to blacklisted companies from China. These companies, the US Embassy claims, are implicated for their role in constructing artificial islands in disputed waters.
Reclamation history
Reclamation is not new. It is said that reclamation has been constantly happening throughout the world over thousands of years, from the moment people settled along river deltas.
According to the urban planning expert, reclamation is not good, nor is it bad per se. It is what we do with reclaimed land and its effect on its surrounding environment and communities, plus its cultural and socio-economic impact that must be looked into.
It is hasty to just say “yes” to reclamation since there are a lot of factors to consider, especially the environmental implications. Experts advocate for meticulous assessment. This encompasses comprehensive environmental surveys; vulnerability assessments for liquefaction, flooding, and subsidence; analysis of hydrodynamics, and the safeguarding of marine ecosystems — all requiring an exhaustive and transparent investigation.
What now?
The country should take comfort in the fact that the DENR Secretary, an academician herself, has said that all the 22 projects will undergo “assessment through trans-disciplinary work, which will get inputs from social scientists, communities, experts, and academicians.”
“A Community Impact Assessment will be carried out by a scientific team including scientists, oceanographers, geologists, climate scientists, etc. that the DENR will be organizing this month,” she said, citing the mandamus issued by the Supreme Court to rehabilitate Manila Bay to the point “where people can actually swim and fish.”
“This is an order we take seriously,” she stressed.
For now, we wait and see, trusting that our authorities will do their best with the national interest in mind.