Manila Bay needs rehabilitation, not reclamation –PAMALAKAYA

A fisherfolk group on Friday criticized the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) over the reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

Instead of reclamation projects, the National Federation of Small Fisherfolk Organization in the Philippines or PAMALAKAYA said the DENR needed to implement rehabilitation programs in Manila Bay to comply with the writ of continuing mandamus issued by the Supreme Court (SC) in 2008.

“Wala na ating coral reefs, 80 to 90 percent. Nawala sa kabuhayan ng mangingisda. More than 1k to 2k kawalan ng tirahan at kabuhayan. Ano pa kailangang i-assess,” said PAMALAKAYA National President Fernando Hicap in Maki Pulido’s report on 24 Oras.

(Are coral reefs are gone, 80% to 90% of them. Around 1,000 to 2,000 fisherfolks lost their homes and livelihoods. What more needs to be assessed?)

The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) said the DENR completed the compliance audit on the stalled reclamation projects in Manila, Las Piñas, Navotas, and Bacoor.

At least 2,400 hectares of seawater will be affected by the program in the cities.

“Tapos na sila dun sa inspection so nandun na sila sa paperwork. Compliance with the conditions of the environmental compliance certificate. Compliance with area clearance conditions imposed by the DENR,” said PRA Assistant General Manager Joseph Literal.

(The DENR completed the inspection, so the companies are now doing the paperwork. They need a certificate for compliance with the conditions of the environmental compliance certificate as well as for compliance with area clearance conditions imposed by the DENR.)

Literal said that after receiving a compliance certificate, the PRA will now green light the reclamation projects.

“Dapat po may positive endorsement po in writing na sinabi na nakapag-comply projects before we can order the resumption of their activities po,” he said.

(There should be a positive endorsement in writing, stating they complied with the projects before we can order the resumption of their activities.)

“Just like what we did with the two Pasay projects. Nagkaroon ng report the report was endorsed to the OP and the PRA, so PRA would order the resumption,” Literal added.

(Just like what we did with the two Pasay projects. There was a report endorsed to the OP and the PRA. The PRA ordered the resumption.)

GMA Integrated News reached out to the DENR for comment. — Sundy Locus/DVM, GMA Integrated News