PRA gets Palace nod for solar city project

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) has issued a notice to mobilize (NTM) and notice to commence actual reclamation works (NTCARW) for the Manila Solar City project of Manila Goldcoast Development Corp. (MGDC).

It is unclear if the project has the go-signal from President Duterte, who had ordered a stop to all reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

In a resolution dated Feb. 22, the PRA governing board issued the NTM and NTCARW for the 148-hectare project that will feature the technologies of a smart city – sustainable power generation, large scale water treatment and storm water recycling, urban agriculture and aquaculture as well as disaster resilience.

The PRA said it received a memorandum from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Feb. 18, informing the agency that the Office of the President has no objection to the issuance of an NTM and NTCARW to start the project.

“Please be informed that the Office of the President interposes no objection in the grant of NTM and NTCARW for the Manila Solar City project, subject to compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations,” Medialdea said in the memorandum.

The Manila Solar City reclamation project is a joint venture of MGDC with the local government of Manila. It is envisioned to be a modern smart city that would generate jobs and revenue for the government.

It was proposed more than 30 years ago as the Manila Gold Coast Reclamation Project, which secured in 1991 a green light from the then Public Estates Authority to pursue the project as the Manila-Cavite Coastal Road Reclamation-North Sector Reclamation Project.

MGDC, which is developing Manila Solar City, is part of the Solar Group of the Tieng family. – Jose Rodel Clapano