Manila Bay reclamation contractor answers critics

MANILA, Philippines - A real estate firm that won the Manila Bay reclamation project answered its critics yesterday, breaking its silence on the issue.

In a statement, the Manila Goldcoast Development Corp. (MGDC) denied claims by those opposed to the project that the reclamation will cover the stretch of Roxas Boulevard from the Manila Yacht Club to the United States embassy, saying the claims are part of a “disinformation campaign.”

“It will be located at the back of the Philippine Navy and Manila Yacht Club two kilometers towards the open sea with a frontage of less than 700 meters parallel to Roxas Boulevard,” the firm said.

MGDC said since the reclamation is a full kilometer from the embassy and only up to the Ospital ng Maynila, “neither will it be a blot on the historic allure of the bay.”

The firm noted that most of Roxas Boulevard and the whole of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Philippine International Convention Center complexes “stand on reclaimed area, to begin with.”

The firm also assured the public that it will abide by world-class best practices and use “state-of-the-art green technology” in the project.

“It will not cause floods and will, in fact, reduce the occurrence of floods like other reclamation models all over the globe. We will have our own renewable power supply, recycled and treated water, and waste to energy facilities,” it said.

MGDC also said it will not disrupt the marine ecology and human settlers in the area. “Studies conclusively show the absence of marine life – even sponges and ascidians that are tolerant to turbid and polluted water – in the project site and contiguous areas … The project will not cause the displacement of settlers. It will not lead to a loss of jobs,” it said.

The developer said among the benefits of the project are the creation of a new commercial center and the first international cruise ship terminal.

MGDC said that it has conducted public consultations “in the spirit of transparency (and) in accordance with all pertinent national and local laws.”

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) had previously denied demands to recall the approval or disregard the application for environmental compliance certificates or ECCs of all reclamation projects in the bay area.

EMB director Juan Miguel Cuna said their office would not act on protests “on the basis of perceived disasters alone.”

“An ECC is a document showing that a proposed project has undergone an environmental study and the adverse environmental effects of the proposed project have somewhat been predicted and corresponding measures to arrest or mitigate the same will be implemented by the proponents,” he said.

Cuna said if the EMB revokes the ECC, “the primary intention of the environmental impact assessment of protecting the environment will be put to naught.”