TO expedite the rehabilitation of Manila Bay, the government has distributed backhoes-on-barges to eleven local government units in the Manila Bay area.
Recipients include Malabon, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Pasay, Pasig, Pateros, Quezon City, Taguig, Obando, San Fernando, and Bacoor, Cavite.
The equipment is meant to remove waste from rivers and estuaries through desilting and dredging.
This initiative was made possible through the collaboration of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the DENR, with support from Senator Cynthia Villar who sponsored the later agency’s budget.
Desilting and dredging are crucial measures to prevent potential flooding, especially during the rainy season.
“We encourage the respective recipients to also utilize them in building resiliency against climate change, against increased precipitation and extreme flooding which threaten the lives and properties in many vulnerable communities,” according to Usec. Jonas Leones, DENR.
However, despite the government’s actions, concerns remain regarding the ongoing land reclamation project in Manila Bay.
The project might cause water that should flow into the sea to return to the rivers.
Some of the backhoe recipients are expected to be affected by this.
“That’s a bay. They will indeed be affected if it is reclaimed, right? We won’t allow it to be reclaimed. We will even clean it so that water coming from our four rivers; Las Piñas River, Parañaque River, Zapote River, and Molino River can flow out into Manila Bay,” stated Sen. Cynthia Villar.
On August 7, 2023, President Bongbong Marcos ordered the suspension of all reclamation projects in Manila Bay, but this has not been formalized or released as an executive order.
Currently, reclamation continues in some areas of Manila Bay, which has been opposed by several senators.
Senator Loren Legarda questioned why the DENR, which issues Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC), allowed this to happen.
“I am still wondering how the DENR issued the ECC. It’s good to review their ECC to see on what basis it was issued, and whether it won’t cause flooding in Metro Manila. Common sense dictates that if the bay shrinks, it will overflow,” said Sen. Loren Legarda.
On August 9 of last year, Senator Chiz Escudero recommended filing charges against government officials who might have been bribed to allow the reclamation project to proceed.
“Make sure that it will not have any adverse impacts on our environment, given climate change, as well as the safety and convenience of our people in potentially affected areas,” Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero expressed.
According to him, it might have negative effects on the environment and the lives of our citizens.
