MANILA, Philippines — A conservation group last Tuesday urged the government to uphold and enforce the law in several reclamation projects submitted to the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) for process.
“We are alarmed by the apparent disregard of our progressive laws for protection of our vastly threatened natural life support systems, and allowing these reclamation projects to destroy our mangroves, sea grass beds, and other marine habitats,” the group Oceana said.
In a summit attended by civil society and fisherfolk groups held at the Bayleaf Hotel in Manila, Ocean stressed that dumping and filling of critical marine support systems in Manila Bay are not only violating laws, “these deprive our artisanal fisherfolk of their living and sustenance as well as fisheries and biodiversity which are heavily impacted.”
Oceana questioned the PRA and other national government agencies, as well local government units for processing the application of these projects despite possible violations of the Local Government Code, Fisheries Code, Environmental Impact Statement System Act and Climate Change Act, among other laws.
“Local government units (LGUs) expand their land territory farther into the sea, substantially changing the territorial boundaries. Under the Local Government Code and other laws, rigid requirements include a national law enacted for that purpose, and a majority of votes for its approval are cast in a plebiscite,” lawyer Gloria Estenzo Ramos, vice president of Oceana Philippines, said.
“We dare ask the proponents of these projects to prove that they complied with these requirements and they can stand before the people that they did not violate our laws,” she said.
Under the Local Government Code (Republic Act 7160), an LGU’s boundaries may only be substantially altered by law enacted by Congress. Section 10 of the same Code provides that no substantial alteration of boundaries shall take effect unless approved by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite in the affected LGU.
According to Ramos, some local governments use these illegal dumping and filling projects to increase their Internal Revenue Allotment without going through the rigid process set by the Local Government Code. “Thus, disbursements by the Department of Budget and Management of the IRA to a number of LGUs that have not complied with the legal requirements for reclamation projects are questionable,” she added.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources identified Manila Bay as a rich spawning area of sardines. Sardinella pacifica collected from Manila Bay and in other parts of the country was proven to be a distinct species found only in the Philippines.