All 19 reclamation projects in Manila Bay that were suspended by President Marcos in 2023 remain on hold following the release of Phase 1 of the Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Wednesday, April 30.

It can be recalled that two of the 21 reclamation projects in Manila Bay were allowed to continue, as they had already been reviewed, according to the Chief Executive.

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga said the agency is still assessing the projects and has yet to decide whether any of them will eventually be cancelled or allowed to proceed.

“At this point, we are evaluating all projects to see how in fact they will be able to reach the impacts that we would like to actually have happened given their proposal,” Loyzaga said during a press briefing in Quezon City.

She admitted that there are “considerable challenges” ahead, though some project proponents have shown willingness to revise their plans. Still, Loyzaga emphasized that each project will undergo strict evaluation.

“So I cannot say whether there will be cancellations or not. But what I will say is everyone will be under scrutiny,” she said.

The DENR chief also said they will coordinate with the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), which is the lead agency that processes reclamation proposals.

“For us to be able to consider any action moving forward, the PRA needs to be involved,” said Loyzaga.

She stressed that local government units (LGUs) must take a more active role in the process, particularly in evaluating the findings of the cumulative impact assessment. 

The DENR chief pointed out that these projects must be aligned not only with LGUs’ flood, water, waste, and traffic management plans, but also with a broader, regional development framework.

“This is a regional development. It isn’t an urban development,” she said.

Loyzaga also outlined what lies ahead under the second phase of the CIA, which will include more technical analysis and visual documentation of the impacts of reclamation.

“So part of the Phase 2 will be the 3D visualization of the effects of flooding in particular and other analysis,” she said. 

“But there will be a continuity work that will be done on the monitoring and the evaluation of the Manila Bay region under Phase 2.”

She said the second phase will take about a year, but preliminary results will be available within the next few months.

“That will be another year. But we expect to have the visualization quite soon, perhaps in Q3. There will be already a visualization of the flooding effects,” Loyzaga said.

She added that preserving productive fishing areas will also be a key focus.

“And for us, this is extremely important along with what to do with the preservation of those fishing grounds that in fact are already productive and continue to be productive for the fisheries community,” she said.

Threats to Manila Bay

The Phase 1 of the CIA, conducted with the help of the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation (MERF), revealed that reclamation poses serious threats to Manila Bay’s already fragile ecosystem.

“Despite many decades of extreme environmental pressure, Manila Bay is still alive,” said marine oceanographer Charina Lyn Repollo of MERF. 

However, she warned that the bay is at a critical point.

Repollo said reclamation is expected to bring environmental stress equivalent to building almost four central business districts within the next three decades. 

According to the study, the 21 proposed reclamation projects are already affecting water quality, with increased public health risks such as exposure to pathogenic bacteria and toxic heavy metals observed near project sites.

She also said that water circulation is slowing down due to ongoing reclamation, leading to more pollution in the inner areas of the bay.

“Reclamation is threatening fisheries in Manila Bay by causing the loss of fishing grounds, destruction of fish habitats, and worsening water quality that could lead to red tide,” Repollo stated.

Flooding in nearby communities, she said, may also get worse as reclamation increases backflow and the height of floodwater.

“Reclamation will worsen flooding by increasing backflow and flood height,” she stressed.

“In the lowland areas, reclamation may increase both coastal and inland flooding. This is because reclamation impedes the flow of water into Manila Bay.”

Repollo said reclamation will also introduce changes to the coastline that may lead to longer-lasting floods.

“This is concerning as Manila, San Juan, and parts of Makati and Bacoor are already experiencing slow drainage of floodwaters even without reclamation,” she stated.