Coast Guard 'concerned' with Manila Bay reclamation projects
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard voiced out its misgivings with Manila Bay reclamation projects Wednesday, citing their effects on vessel traffic and the surrounding maricultural areas.
Speaking at the "Marine Spatial Planning and Coastal Reclamation: A Focus on Manila Bay Area" webinar organized by Oceana Philippines and the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines, Captain Xerxes Fernandez of the PCG outlined a number of the coast guard's concerns with the reclamation projects in the bay.
The forum was also attended by representatives from the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and the National Center for Coral Reef Research Center at the University of Miami.
"We are very much concerned about the effects of reclamation projects within Manila Bay especially since there are a lot of maricultural areas in the bay that depends on the equal distribution of nutrients so that it can be sustainable," he said, pointing out the abundance of fisheries and fish pens in the area.
"We also have concerns about vessel traffic. We noted that there are several projects near the Manila harbor, especially the north and south harbor. We need to study this carefully as we know that these harbors are the lifeblood of the Philippine economy," he added.
Among the PCG's recommendations presented by Fernandez in his presentation entitled "Water Circulation and Vessel Safety" were:
- Mapping of critical habitats
- Mapping of fisheries and maricultural areas
- Will not affect water circulation within the bay
- Ensure river can properly drain into the bay
- Will not restrict vessel movement
Acd. Villanoy shows the reclamation impacts.#PilipiNAST #SPIFMarine pic.twitter.com/0dtN007T2V
— NAST Philippines (@nastphl) October 7, 2020
The PCG is mandated to ensure vessel safety and assist government agencies in protecting the marine environment.
"There are a lot of rivers draining into Manila Bay. There is some speculation that the perennial flooding occurring in Bacoor is a result of the reclamation project undertaken to create the Cavitex area. It seems the water coming from upland is not draining properly into the bay," Fernandez also said.
According to a 2019 briefer by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, there are three river systems draining into the bay in the National Capital Region, namely: "the MANATUTI River System (Malabon–Navotas–Tullahan–Tinajeros River); the MUNTIPARLASPIZAP* River System (Las Piñas–Parañaque–Zapote River); and the PAMARISAN River System (Pasig–Marikina–San Juan River)."
READ: Urban poor families fear eviction amid Manila Bay cosmetic rehab
The various rehabilitation and reclamation projects along Manila Bay continues to be a topic of concern despite the coronavirus pandemic. Urban poor families in September cast fear that the hotly-contested "white sand" beach project meant possible eviction for them mid-pandemic.
After the government-sponsored opening of the "Manila Bay White Sands" baywalk in late September drew crowds that violated the quarantine ban on mass gatherings, the Philippine Coast Guard sent out patrol boats along the shores to keep any passers-by away.
The PCG has been on full alert status and has been enforcing a no-sail policy in the waterway due to the coronavirus lockdown.
"The Philippine Coast Guard as a regulatory agency needs to have ample information when it comes to granting permits or letter of objections, and basically giving input on the natural resource management on bodies like this," Fernandez said.
— Franco Luna
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources orders the closure of Aristocrat restaurant in Roxas Boulevard for "generating and discharging pollutive wastewater" amid the government's move to rehabilitate Manila Bay.
The Manila Bay rehabilitation program involves cleanup activities, relocation of illegal settlers as well as apprehension of establishments that violate the Philippine Clean Water Act and other environmental laws.
Last January 22, the Manila City government has ordered the temporary closure of Manila Zoo to allow the reconstruction of its sewer lines. The zoo is located near Estero de San Antonio Abad in Malate, Manila, which directly drains into the Manila Bay.
DENR ordered establishments around the bay to put up their own sewage treatment plants last January 11.
Fishers' group PAMALAKAYA reports that fishers witnessed a dredging vessel closely passing by their fishing boat off Cavite last night, October 7.
The continued dredging or reclamation off Manila Bay comes two months after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the suspension of reclamation in Manila Bay.
In its report, the group says the dredging vessel is involved in seabed quarrying in Cavite to fulfill several dump-and-fill projects in Manila Bay, particularly for the airport reclamation project in Bulacan.
It condemns the act saying it is "a proof that Marcos Jr's suspension order on reclamation is a sham, especially with the absence of an official Executive Order." — Rosette Adel
The Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach will be reopened to the public on May 20, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources announces.
NOW: Undersecretary Jonas Leones, during the flag raising ceremony of the Agency, announces the reopening of the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach on May 20. #TayoAngKalikasan pic.twitter.com/UMYmcQ6QIO
— ???? (@DENROfficial) May 16, 2022
A fishers' group slams the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for issuing an environmental compliance certificate to a reclamation project in Bulacan.
The DENR has granted San Miguel Corp. a permit for its P700-billion aerotropolis project that would cover over 2,500 hectares of Manila Bay.
Pamalakaya says the aerotropolis project is "on the opposite track" of the Manila Bay rehabilitation program.
“Reclamation defeats the purpose of rehabilitation as it endangers vital marine resources that keep Manila Bay abundant and biodiverse," Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap says.
Akbayan is calling on the original parties in the 2008 environmental protection case over Manila Bay to join them in questioning the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources' dolomite beach project.
The party does this in a statement after the Supreme Court denied its motion to intervene in the case, adding the court "has taken, quite sadly, a hands-off approach on an issue of transcendental importance."
It adds: "Even the high tribunal's statement that it found no violation of its continuing Mandamus is discouraging. It limited its findings to the reports submitted by the DENR on its specific directive to clean the waters of the bay and perform maintenance measures."
"It failed to include in its assessment the DENR's dumping of fake sand as a polluting act violative of its order."
Akbayan party-list will hold a "bicycle action" on November 3 "coinciding with the Supreme Court's en banc session to deliberate on the petition Akbayan filed on the dumping of dolomite sand along Manila Bay."
Bikers will meet at Plaza Salamanca in the morning and head to the Supreme Court gates in Padre Faura.
In its announcement, Akbayan says it is calling for the SC to "hold the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in contempt for dumping fake white sand in Manila Bay, which is in violation of the court's continuing Mandamus on the area, as well to save Manila Bay the right way."
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