Proposed Manila Bay Dev't Authority may review projects, relocate informal settlers

The House committee on government enterprises and privatization is currently tackling a bill seeking to create an agency that would focus on the "maintenance and protection" of the famed Manila Bay.

The proposed Manila Bay Development Authority is tasked to draw up a master plan, which will include the review of projects and relocation of informal settlers in the area.

According to a report by Tina Panganiban-Perez on “24 Oras,” the members of the panel conducted an ocular visit at the Manila Bay on Friday.

“Meron tayong mandamus sa order sa Supreme Court na kailangan linisin lahat ng waterway at yung Manila Bay natin…Eh walang specific na authority na nag-aasikaso talaga kung sino talaga yung merong responsible for this,” said Parañaque Representative Edwin Olivarez, head of the committee. 

(We have a mandamus order from the Supreme Court that mandates us to clean all the waterways and the Manila Bay…But we don’t have a specific authority that should be responsible for this.) 

Aside from monitoring the projects in the bay, the body is empowered under the bill to cancel projects if deemed necessary and to relocate informal settlers near the vicinity of the bay.

The Manila Bay spans 199,400 hectares and encompasses eight provinces, 178 localities, and some 5,714 barangays in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and the National Capital Region. 

“We are from the coastal areas ng Pampanga and kami talaga ay nababaha at naaapektuhan every rainy season. So, it’s vitally important po sa amin na maalagaan talaga yung Manila Bay dahil dito ang labasan ng tubig ng buong Central Luzon,” said Pampanga Rep. Anna York Bondoc. 

(We are from the coastal areas of Pampanga and we are affected every rainy season. So the maintenance of the Manila Bay is vital for us because this is where the rivers in Central Luzon are draining.) 

A rehabilitation program on Manila Bay was launched in 2019 in compliance with the Writ of Mandamus issued by the Supreme Court in 2008. 

One of the initiatives was the installation of crushed dolomite boulders to mimic white sand along the shore, which drew criticism from the public.

But Olivarez believes that the dolomite beach must be kept and maintained. 

“Maganda naman siya. Yung mga turista natin nagpupunta doon. Yung ating mga local tourist nagpupunta doon. Kaya, i-maintain, kept natin. Well kept,” he said. 

(It's actually nice. Our tourists visit there, even local tourists go there. That's why we need to maintain it and it should always be well kept.)

Several environmental and fisherfolk groups also recently slammed the ongoing reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

On Monday, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas and Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment asked the Philippine Reclamation Authority and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to lay out relocation plans for communities that are affected by the projects as well as for the agencies to provide several reports related to their activities.

According to the groups, there was a significant decline in the fish population, depletion of marine resources, an increase in invasive marine species, coastal and land erosion, and rising water levels.

Aside from these developments, they said the reclamation activities have caused disruption in their traditional livelihoods, resulting in income loss, and involuntary displacement.—Vince Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News