TUESDAY / FEBRUARY 12, 2019
WWW.INQUIRER.NET
Go9t'processing 22
3 pending applications nearing approvalr.pRA officiat tells solons
A total of 22 reclamation pro-
jects are planned along Manila
Bay that will affect-and likely
pollute-a 22,ooo-hectare area
of the body ofwater, an official
of the Philippine Reclamation
Authority (PRA) admitted to
lawmakers on Monday.
At a hearing of the House
Metro Manila development
committee, Joseph Literal, PRA
assistant general manager for
reclamation and regulation,
said the agency was curently
processing 22 applicatio4s
from developers.
u-percent coverage
Once approved, the projects
would cover 22,ooo ha or about
11 percent of the bay's 1,994-
square-kilometer area,
Due to questions posed by
Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao,
the House body learned that
the PRA had aheady approved
in principle three of the 22 pro-
posals. after the developers
complied with Department of
Environment and Natural Re-
sources (DENR) regutations.
These were the 36o-ha
Pasay reclamation project, the
Uo-ha Solar City project, and
the Navotas Boulevard Busi-
ness Park.
The PRA also divulged that
there were 12o proposed recla-
mation projects in the whole
country, Cdsilao said in a state-
ment.
"Would these reclamation
projects have adverse effects
on the environment?" Buhay
Rep. Lito Atienza asked Literal
during the hearing.
"There is an effect, sii," the
official replied. But he added
that "systems" would be put in
place to reduce the environ-
mental impact of the reclama-
tion projects.
Atienza, a former Manila
mayor, fumed over Literal's re-
marks.
ut
PAqu'
"You are aware that there that all reclamation projects
will indeed be effects on the would be reviewed.
environment, and.yet you will
stitl let.these projects proceed Palace has flnal say
simply becausb the developers Adding that the govemment
are instituting so-called sys- was currently looking at 10 pro-
tems to mitigate these effects?" Aio clarified that while
posals,
he told the PRA official. his depanment could recom-
"If all these projects are al- mend whether or not the pro-
lowed to proceed, the effects ject should push through, Mala-
will be catastrophic for all of caiang would have the last say.
us, There seems to be a recla- On Feb. 4, President Duterte
mation craze sweeping across signed Executive Order No. 74
the country and you just keep delegating the authority to ap-
approving each one of them," prove recLamation projects' to
Atienza said. the PRA. He also placed ttre
agency under the Office of the
Threat to bay cleanup President, instead of the DENR.
Casilao also expressed Mr. Duterte issued tlle order
alarm at Literal's admission. amid an ongoing cleanup of
"This must be stopped as it
is Manila Bay, a polluted body of
for the
threatening genuine water tlat for many years had
essenceof the Manila Bay served as a repository of Metro
cleanup. The reclamation Manila sewage and other wastes.
should be opposed," he said. Last week th€ Makabayan
On the sidelines of. his bloc filed House Bill No. 9067
meeting with local officials on declaring the bay a reclarna-
the bay's rehabititation, Interi- tion-free zone. -wtrH A REpoRT
or Secretary Eduardo Ano said FRoMAIEEAIAGTASsEE INQ
- Ato "