Manila Bay reclamation (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

In the event that the cumulative impact assessment of reclamation efforts in Manila Bay reveals serious environmental concerns, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) could opt to revoke the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) of these projects.

According to Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, the DENR will particularly look into the economic, ecological, and social impacts of these particular projects.

“While I do not wish to speculate, I do believe that there can be bearing on the evaluation of the environmental compliance given certain findings that will be result of the cumulative impact assessment,” she said during the budget deliberations of the DENR in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

The assessment on the reclamation projects began last year. According to Loyzaga, it is still “ongoing”.

Once completed, the assessment would serve as basis for the agency’s evaluation that will be submitted to the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) under the Office of the President (OP).

“We wish to know, at the end of the day, who will pay for the social, ecological, and environmental impacts of the different scenarios that will be considered in terms of the decision regarding the continuance of the reclamation projects,” said Loyzaga.

“In other countries, when projects such as this are being considered, compensation and offsetting are part of it,” she stressed.

In his interpellation, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel stressed the importance of swiftly revoking the ECCs of the projects, once the assessment points to their negative effects on Manila Bay.

“Paraan ito mabawi ng DENR ‘yung kaniyang lapses sa oversight in the past,” said Manuel.

(This is a way for the DENR to make up for its oversight lapses in the past.)

Following the heavy flooding in Metro Manila last month due to the Typhoon "Carina" and the seasonal southwest monsoon (Habagat), environmental groups and even some lawmakers have blamed the ongoing reclamation efforts for the floods.

With this, Loyzaga said the DENR, alongside the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI), is also currently studying the possible impact of the reclamation projects to the inundation.

This study’s final output is expected to come out by September, she said.