A progressive fishers’ group has criticized the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the delay in releasing the results of a cumulative impact assessment on reclamation projects in Manila Bay, calling for the immediate termination of all reclamation and dredging activities.
In a statement, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) announced it will hold a protest to demand the release of the findings, which were commissioned by the DENR from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) in August 2023.
“We demand immediate release and full disclosure of the result of the cumulative impact assessment that will result in the total termination of every single reclamation project, as well as seabed quarrying activities across Manila Bay,” said Pamalakaya Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo.
“Why is it taking so long when it has long been established the irreversible damage of reclamation to the environment and economic lives?”
Meanwhile, the DENR said that the UP-MSI had requested an extension for the study in the last quarter of 2024 to ensure a comprehensive assessment of reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
The group expressed confidence in the integrity of UP MSI researchers, emphasizing that their findings should align with the call to stop reclamation and dredging projects.
Marking 6 years of bay rehab
The protest coincides with the sixth anniversary of the government’s Manila Bay rehabilitation program, which Pamalakaya and environmental activists have labeled a “failure.”
“Anim na taon na ang programang rehabilitasyon ng pamahalaan sa Manila Bay subalit wala pa ring signipikanteng resulta (The government’s rehabilitation program for Manila Bay has been ongoing for six years, yet there are still no significant results),”Arambulo said.
Arambulo noted that the income of fisherfolk remains low due to the depletion of fish stocks and the destruction of fishing grounds.
“Walang ibang dahilan ito kundi ang mga mapanirang proyekto sa Manila Bay na hindi naman talaga tuluyang ipinatigil ng pamahalaan (This is solely due to the destructive projects in Manila Bay, which the government has not completely stopped),” he pointed out.
Pamalakaya reiterated their demand for a rehabilitation program focused on restoring Manila Bay as a sustainable fishing ground, rather than turning it into a hub for large-scale commercial projects.
Findings of experts
The fisherfolk group, citing geological experts, asserted that reclamation projects have exacerbated flooding in the northern part of Manila Bay.
“It can be recalled that it was no less than the renowned geologist Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo who raised the geophysical hazards of specific reclamation projects in Manila Bay,” said Fernando Hicap, chairperson of Pamalakaya.
“Dr. Rodolfo has identified three geological hazards of reclamation that are relevant to the country’s situation: the danger of land subsidence, the threat of storm surges and strong waves caused by typhoons, and risks from seismically induced liquefaction,” Hicap added.