PHL, Netherlands to create master plan for Manila Bay development

The Philippines and the Netherlands are going to craft a master plan for developing the Manila Bay area.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia signed on Monday a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Netherlands Ambassador to the Philippines Marion Derckx, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said in an emailed statement Monday.

“Under the MOU, the two governments will work together towards the formulation of the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan, which aims to provide a comprehensive framework for the sustainable development and management of the entire Manila Bay area,” it said.

The master plan is envisioned to guide future decisions on programs and projects within the Bay area, while the Philippines benefits from the expertise of the Netherlands in projects along coastal zones.

Last year, Waterfront Manila Premier Development Inc. said it was planning to create Manila Waterfront City, a 318-hectare mixed-use development along Manila Bay.

“We are fortunate to have the Dutch with us in this endeavor. Their extensive knowledge and experience in implementing programs and projects that protect vulnerable coastal zones are unparalleled,” Pernia said.

In 2015, the Philippines requested the Netherlands to dispatch a group of Dutch experts in disaster risk reduction to Manila for identifying and assessing the Manila Bay situation.
“After the mission, the Dutch experts confirmed the urgent need for a framework for the development and management of the Bay area,” NEDA said.

"These findings prompted the Philippine government to appropriate P250 million under the FY2017 NEDA budget for the formulation of the master plan,” it said. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News