Charles Teves
Conversations regarding Manila Bay reclamation projects resurfaced again on Thursday after a legislator posted aerial photographs of the natural harbor.
Sen. JV Ejercito posted some photos of it on his Twitter, eliciting netizens’ reactions.
“Soon, we will not be able to see the famous sunset at Manila Bay from Roxas Boulevard. Wala na rin wedding by the sea sa Coconut Palace at Sofitel sa ngayon. Simple things we will miss…” he wrote.
Asa Sofitel ako one time and I shared this sa Tiktok, lol inattack ako ng mga loyalists kasi hater daw ako eh “low tide” lang naman daw ‘yan. Talaga ba? Haha https://t.co/xRa9A0bd7T
— Jules Guiang (@julesguiang) February 17, 2023
Who approved all these projects? Puro big reclamations na naman, just like during Martial Law. https://t.co/iX9IDtT7WS
— JC Punongbayan (@jcpunongbayan) February 17, 2023
While the good Senator's message is good for anti reclamation campaign, we can opt not to focus on aesthetics to preserve the bay. Recenter human livelihoods as the core message. https://t.co/GGR6so7mCH
— Dakila Yee (@dakilakim) February 17, 2023
Destroying Manila Bays beauty all in the name of gambling and greed. Duterte should hang for allowing this. https://t.co/kYoIxCF9Iv
— Bob Blues Magoo (@MagooBlues) February 17, 2023
https://twitter.com/airblcn/status/1626461564265168898?s=20
Does the senate see this as desirable? If not… would it not be possible to inquire into who is responsible for this and why it's being allowed to happen? https://t.co/kfXYzFWo6p
— Toby Pavon 😷🇵🇭 (@coriyapavon) February 17, 2023
Hoping JV can help influence fellow Senators to do something about it. https://t.co/oh6PBuR7qO
— Eufy Fight! #FreePalestine 🇵🇭 🇵🇸 (@eufems) February 17, 2023
The Coconut Palace, formerly utilized as the office of ex-Vice President Jejomar Binay, is a governmental edifice situated at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
On the other hand, Sofitel is a top-tier deluxe hotel primarily reserved by the general public for wedding ceremonies and other formal events.
Both are situated near Manila Bay, with the hotel particularly renowned for its unobstructed and breathtaking “stunning panoramic” sight from its poolside and room balconies.
On the platform, there were similar discussions regarding the sight of Manila Bay amidst the reclamation that occurred last month.
In September of last year, worries about environmental issues arising from the reclamations were brought up after Tanyag posted screenshots of Facebook messages that observed the alteration in Manila Bay.
During a budget deliberation for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, a related issue was raised in the Senate two months after.
As of November, the DENR reported that there were 19 reclamation projects ongoing in Manila Bay. Senator Cynthia Villar criticized the office for issuing environment compliance certificates to these projects, stating that areas like Las Piñas, her hometown, would be inundated as a result of the substantial alteration in the landscape.
She stated that the reclamation activities would obstruct the water discharge from four rivers in Las Piñas and Cavite, ultimately leading to flooding.
“Ako, sinabi ko sa inyo, huwag niyong pakikialaman ‘yung aming daan doon. We have four rivers going out of that bay. Where will the river go, the water of the river go? Sinasabi ko na palagi sa inyo ‘yan, ayaw kayo tumigil. Hindi ako pumayag diyan,” Villar said.
As a member of the Aguilar-Villar clan, who have governed Las Piñas for decades, the senator expressed her regret about spending 10 years of her life cleaning up “her river.”
“It took me 10 years to clean my river so there will be no flooding, tapos sasarhan niyo iyong daan ng river ko?” she said. “I cleaned 30 kilometers of river, ba’t hindi sasama loob ko?”
Manila Bay is a large body of water in Luzon, covering an area of 199,400 hectares, and with a coastline extending from Cavite, Parañaque, Pasay, Manila, Malabon, Navotas, Bulacan, Pampanga, to Bataan.
According to Oceana Philippines, a non-government organization committed to safeguarding the country’s oceans and other water bodies, the Philippines’ fishing industry contributes 67% of the bay’s total worth.
Land reclamation is a method of urban expansion that aims to extend territories for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes. It is intended to create economic opportunities through substantial capital investments and the creation of jobs.
However, experts have raised concerns about its impact on the coastal marine environment, particularly given the country’s susceptibility to the consequences of climate change.
