Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile disclosed that there was “pressure” coming from the “rich” on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. amid his decision to suspend all Manila Bay reclamation projects.
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. (Mark Balmores/MANILA BULLETIN)
The former Senate president said during an interview on television program “Dito sa Bayan ni Juan” on Saturday, Aug. 19, that one of the developers of the suspended projects even pleaded for the President to allow it to continue.
“Ang daming pressure ng mga mayayaman sa kanya (The rich are pressuring him),” he claimed, referring to the Chief Executive.
“Ang alam ko mayroong isang nagre-reclaim ng lupa diyan sa Manila Bay. Alam ko ito dahil nirekomenda namin kay Presidente na huwag nang payagan eh. Halos lumuhod sa Presidente dahil malaki ang utang sa bangko (I know that there is one reclaiming land there in Manila Bay. I know this because we recommended to the President not to allow it. Almost kneeled before the President because of a big debt to the bank),” he recalled.
Enrile, however, did not name the developer.
The official shared that Marcos allowed what the developer already finished reclaiming, but suspended those that have not started yet.
“Pinagbigyan ng Presidente, ‘yong natapos mo okay na pero ‘yong mga susunod dahil ‘yong kanyang reclamation is 250 hectares yata, so hanggang doon siya. ‘Yong mga iba na hindi pa nag-umpisa, wala na ‘yon (The President granted what was finished, but not the next because his reclamation is around 250 hectares, so it’s up to there. Those that haven’t started, they won’t continue),” Enrile said.
He also detailed why the Manila Bay reclamation projects must be suspended, especially amid backlash because of the flooding in several Luzon provinces.
In fact, even Malacañang won’t be spared from flooding because water from Manila Bay would go to rivers, including Pasig River at the presidential residence’s own backyard.
“Yong pupuntahan ng ma-disperse na tubig sa Manila Bay, backward it will backflow sa mga Pasig River, Angat River, Meycauayan River, kung ano-anong mga river riyan. Lahat iyan magiging flooded kapag pinayagan mong lahat ‘yong reclamation riyan sa Manila Bay (The dispersed water from Manila Bay, backward it will backflow to Pasig River, Angat River, Meycauayan River, all those rivers. All of those will be flooded if all reclamations in Manila Bay will be allowed),” he lamented.
“Pati Malacañang babahain (Even Malacañang will be flooded),” Enrile added.
Marcos earlier suspended all reclamation projects in Manila Bay, which the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said were approved during the previous Duterte administration.