PRA releases national reclamation plan through PPP-Menu
Manila, Philippines – The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) vows to oppose the national reclamation plan of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) released on its Land Reclamation and Dredging Summit held on April 24-25 held at the Le Pavillion Hotel in Pasay City.
PRA’s national reclamation plan is dubbed as “Casa Agra, PPP Menu” which is named after its current Chairman, Alberto Agra.
“PRA is completely selling-out our fishing waters and coastal communities to big developing firms at the cost of the livelihood of the fisherfolk and marine environment. Thousands of fisherfolk and coastal settlers are in the verge of displacement if this grandiose project of PRA is implemented,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA Chairperson said in a statement.
The national reclamation plan consists of not less than 100 reclamation projects covering almost 40,000 hectares of fishing waters throughout the archipelago. Approximately 2/3 of the project is located in Manila Bay. Some of the projects have already been started, particularly in Navotas City, where the 650-hectare Navotas Boulevard Business Park (NBBP) will be constructed.
Not only the project will affect the fisherfolks’ livelihood, but it will also pose devastating impact on the marine environment and its resources. This always results to decrease volume of fish catch. One clear example is in Manila Bay where maximum fish catch averages to 5 kilos, from 10-15 kilos before reclamation and conversion activities have become corporate and government craze.
“We vow to oppose all kinds of reclamation projects in all fishing waters that will destroy the marine environment and livelihood of the fishing sector. Our fishing waters are not for sale – these are meant for the food security of our nation, and not to serve greed and selfish interests of few giant developers,” Hicap added.
PAMALAKAYA together with other sectors will launch a broad network alliance against all types of coastal-based reclamation and conversion projects. The said alliance will be composed primarily of the fishing sector, church-people, academes, students, and environmentalists. This will be held on May 17 at Grogan Hall, Redemptorist Church in Baclaran. ###
