DENR chief Loyzaga on Villar's claim she's afraid: I'm not easily scared

"I'm not easily scared."

This was the response of Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga on the claim of Senator Cynthia Villar that she is supposedly "afraid" of influential people who are pushing for the reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

"I don't know many of you but you can ask the people who do know me, I'm not easily scared," Loyzaga said.

She expressed belief the senator made the remark out of concern, adding that she is grateful to Villar.

"This is Senator Villar's, I guess statement of concern regarding this very complicated issue. I'm very grateful for our interaction. Senator Cynthia and I have been conversing very deeply on this issue of reclamation and environmental impacts," she said.

Villar made the remark Wednesday during the Senate public works committee hearing on flooding problems in the country.

“I talked to Secretary Loyzaga about this eh. Medyo takot siya kasi ang mga magre-reclaim mga influential sa Pilipinas. Natatakot siya being secretary… Sabi ko, huwag ka matakot. ‘Pag mali, mali. Kung tama, tama,” Villar had said.

Loyzaga said the 22 reclamation projects for Manila Bay are suspended and under review. She said the agency are checking the compliance of these projects.

"On the part of DENR we are looking into the compliance under the conditions, under which the ECCs and area clearances were issued. This is the role of the DENR," she said.

"As I've said before, we have already looked at the compliance issue and we are continuing to do that, starting with of course the ongoing, but then we will look into all the projects for compliance," she added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News