Manila Mayor Isko urged to revoke 4 approved reclamations in Manila Bay
Manila, Philippines – The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) on Saturday has asked Manila Mayor Isko Moreno to revoke the memorandums of understanding (MOUs) of four reclamation projects in Manila Bay that were signed between the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), proponents of the projects, and former Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada during his term.
Rehabilitation of Manila Bay without reclamation was one of Mayor Moreno’s campaign promises during the 2019 midterm polls.
Former Manila Mayor Estrada has approved the Horizon Manila project which covers 417 hectares of Manila Bay. The project, which is intended for commercial and mixed use costs P100-billion and touted as Manila’s biggest land reclamation project. Its proponent is the real estate firm J-Bros Construction Corp.
The project was the fourth reclamation project to be approved by Mayor Moreno’s predecessor. The other three were the 407.42-hectare New Manila Bay International community – dubbed as “city within a city”, the 148-hectare Manila Solar City project, and the 50-hectare expansion of Manila Harbour Centre in Tondo.
“We call on Manila Mayor Moreno to scrap all the approved reclamation projects in Manila in order to save the city and the Manila Bay from further degradation and environmental disaster,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA Chairperson said in a statement.
PAMALAKAYA said that the approved projects would aggravate the devastated impacts of natural disasters in Metro Manila. The fisherfolk group said rampant reclamation activities over the years have made the Manila Bay vulnerable to storm surges because the movement and natural flow of its waters have changed.
“But despite deterioration, Manila Bay remains a productive fishing hub and settlement for fisherfolk and urban poor in Metro Manila, some provinces of Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog regions. It must be spared from any destructive project that will convert its traditional fishing use into commercial and entertainment purposes,” ended Hicap. ###
