THE R1 PROJECT & URBAN POOR SITUATION IN CAVITE

By : Loreliza Santiago Frias

INTRODUCTION
It has always been a biggest challenge for the government to eradicate poverty. Thus, the
basic task of the government Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan is to fight poverty by
building prosperity for the greater number of the Filipino people, Cavite R1 is one of the projects
under this plan.

The R1 Extension Expressway is a seven-kilometer, dual lane expressway connecting Zapote

and Kawit. This project was part of the previous Macapagal-Arroyo administration’s 10 point
program for the creation of a transport logistics system to decongest Metro Manila. In June 21,
2007, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Executive Order No. 629 directing the
Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) to convert Sangley Point in Cavite into an international
logistics hub with modern seaport and airport through the R-1 Expressway Extension Project.
The project is part of the Cavite Business Economic Zone (CBEZ) and a joint venture between
the Public Estates Authority (PEX) and UEM-MARA.

Who is UEM-MARA?
UEM-MARA (United Engineers Malaysis –Majilis Amanah Rakyat/Renong Berhad is located at
1/F Corporate Business Center, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. UEM was once active in mining
industry, (Mankayan Mineral Development Phils Inc.) eventually they ventured into
consultancy firm on Public Estates Authority Tollway Corp. UEM Mara Philippines Corp
(UMPC) has acquired a P3.5 billon syndicated term loan facility from the local banks in the
Philippines for the expansion of Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway from Baclaran to
Kawit,Cavite. UMPC is owned and managed by the Coastal Road Corporation (CRC).

Jennifer Bote is the Executive Vice President while the UMPC Chairman is Cesar Virata
former Prime/Finance Minister of late President Ferdinand Marcos and relatives of Aguinaldo
clan in Kawit, Cavite.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This paper aim to discuss the R1 project in Cavite, its scope and impact to the fisherfolks
living at the coastal bay of Cavite province. Specific questions that the researcher aims to
answer are the following:

1. What is R1 project ?
2. What is the scope of R1 project?
3. What are the impacts of R1 project?

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

The Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx) or also known as Aguinaldo Boulevard is a 14 km

(8.7 mi) tollway/expressway in the Philippines. It is considered part of the Radial Road 1 (R-1)
of Metro Manila. It is owned and operated by the Public Estates Authority Tollway Corporation
(PEATC), a government owned and / or owned corporation and a subsidiary of the Public Estates
Authority, an office under the Office of the President. It is also nicknamed the Coastal Road
because of its vicinity to the Manila Bay.

At the north end, it feeds into and from Roxas Boulevard in the city of Parañaque in Metro
Manila, also part of R-1. At the south end, it connects to Tirona Highway along the north coast in
Kawit, Cavite

In 2011, the extension going to Kawit, Cavite, which is named as CAVITEX, is already open to
the public, where it will eventually connect to C-6, the now-under-construction Bulacan-Rizal-
Manila-Cavite Regional Expressway and to the proposed Cavite-Laguna Expressway.
Meanwhile, when the C-5 circumferential road and the NAIA Expressway is extended
southward, it will also eventually be connected to the expressway as well. It will be the street
alignment of the Manila LRT Yellow Line South Extension when completed in Parañaque. It will
have 2 stations, namely: Asia World and Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

On January 10, 2013 the ARCC – All Asia Resources and Reclamation Corporation has
submitted its letter of intent to undertake the twin projects to the Department of Transportation
and Communication and the Philippine Reclamation Authority , the agency that acts as the
clearing house for reclamation projects in the country. The ARRC, the local proponent of a
proposed project to redevelop Sangley Point said foreign partners, mostly Europe-based, include
Flugfahen Munich, operator of the Munich airport in Germany; Hamburger Hafen und Logstik,
the biggest operator in the Hamburg port, also in Germany; the Italian rail company Ferrovie
Circumvesuviana; power firm Isoluc Corsan; Deutsche Bank; COWI, Inros Lackner and GMP
Architects; contractors Hochtief and Rizzani de Eccher; and Royal Boskalis Westminster, the
lead reclamation contractor.

The ARRC proposal was “in response to the need to develop premier international gateways in
the country, as well as Executive Order No. 629, Series of 2007, directing the PRA to convert
Sangley Point in Cavite City into an international logistics hub with a modern airport and seaport
through an enabling reclamation component.”

The Phase I of the airport project, is estimated to run from 2014 to 2018 and would involve the
reclamation of 2,500 hectares on the flight line of the Atienza Air Base, the development of a 50-
million-a-year airport terminal, and the first of two runway systems estimated to cost P56.2
billion and P45 billion, respectively.

It said the development of a 50-million-a-year passenger terminal is demand-driven based on the

current 31 million annual passenger traffic in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), the
capacity of which is constrained by limited space.

On the other hand, Phase 1 of the project also calls for the reclamation of 50 ha offshore of the
Atienza Air Base with a budget of around P8 billion, and the construction of a 200-million-liter
capacity bulk liquid port, estimated to cost P10.8 billion.

The ARRC said the development of the bulk liquid port is demand-driven, resulting from the
proposed relocation of the existing 83-million-liter capacity of the Pandacan depot (in Manila),
which supplies 70 percent of the shipping industry’s needs, 90 percent of lubricant requirements,
75 percent of all aviation fuel needs, and 25 percent of the demand for chemicals.
Also included in the proposed reclamation and redevelopment of Sangley Pt. are the construction
of the 17-kilometer Sangley-CavitEx to link the projects to the Naia complex; the 32.5-km
Aguinaldo Light Rail Transit, using the alignment of the Sangley-CavitEX link to the Naia
complex and Tramo to connect to the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 Taft Station; and an 8-km, four-
lane, snake-shaped cable-stayed bridge linking the twin projects to Boulevard 2000. The bridge
project alone is estimated to cost at least $2.3 billion, according to ARRC.

The Cavite Infrastructure Plan .

Figure 2 – The Cavite Laguna Expressway Project
R1 project is not just about the expressway project, to build an expressway, reclamation is
needed to add prime lots that would be sold to big businesses, developers and foreign investors.
R1 project means dislocation of the livelihood of 12.402 fisherfolks along the coastal area of
Bacoor Bay and Canacao Bay.

The planned large-scale reclamation project in Sangley Point that would pave the way for the
construction of international airport and seaport at the former US naval station would destroy the
livelihood of 26,000 Cavite fishing families.

"Twenty six thousand fishing families or roughly 156,000 people will be immediately dislodged
from their livelihood and communities and what the government will offer for survival of a
lifetime is P 15,000 for each of the displaced family.

Another group of fishermen, allied with the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng
Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), said in a statement: "The large-scale
reclamation project in Sangley Point will send the fishing villages of Bacoor, Noveleta, Kawit,
Rosario, and Cavite City to the death bed of environmental catastrophe and destruction. The
reclamation plan will kill the livelihood of tens of thousands of fishermen and other people
dependent on Cavite's fishing for their day-to-day survival,"

Another 3,770 fisherfolks from the towns of Maragondon, Naic and Ternate are be concerned in
the rapid coastal conversion because of the Hamilo Cove project of SM Development Corp. and
the 8 km Nasugbu- Ternate Road.

The crisis of food security will worsen due to the conversion of another 9,186 hectares of
agricultural land from the towns of Naic and Tanza brought by the project.

The concentration of agricultural lands in the former 3rd district comprising 50,019 families
majority is from Silang 11,069 families and Alfonso 10,044families (excluding the fisherfolks
from the coastal area of that comprises 13,000 families) occupying 76,467.14 hectares of
agricultural land which is 54% of the total Land area of the province (142,706 hectares).
Acccording to DAR, there are 17,623 families who benefitted from CARP since it was put into
law until August 2006. While according to the Provincial Agricultural Office (PAO), there are
50,019 families from the farming sector of the province. Therefore, more than 30% of the total
families are CARP benificiaries. The data is quite high considering that there is a rampant
cancellation of CLOA that is usually the basis for the zoning plan of the municipalities and
provincial government from where the reclassification is freely done thru the power of the
Local Government Code. This is the same reason why the prime agricultural land was easily
converted particularly to tourism strip (Alfonso, Amadeo, Mendez, Silang and Tagaytay) all part
of the Metro Taal- Tagaytay Development Plan (MTTDP). While food security in the province is
a major problem the rampant land use conversion has made it even worse. Particularly the rice
fields that was turned into subdivisions, golf courses, eco parks and industrial enclaves.

CONCLUSION

In any developments, there are always sector(s) that will be affected, however, why is it the
farmers/fishermen are always the victims, those who are directly interacting with the natural
environments and nurturing it for their livelihood. With the urban developments presented
in this paper, few years from now the mussels industry will die out. It will kill thousands of
fishing jobs and displace thousands of coastal people. The coastal area of Cavite will be
polluted heavily since the province will be open for more foreign investments and
developments. Several fishermen/farmer will experience hunger and poverty . Though there
are several developments being implemented but there was no development that directly
address on how to alleviate the condition of our farmers and fisherman. This is the sector
being neglected, the sector being called as “Poorest of the Poor” but without them who will
provide foods that we eat in our tables everyday.
RECOMMENDATION

While it is a big challenge for the government to eradicate poverty, the government should
not neglect the well-being of its people , community and environment as well. Why is it
the environment has to be sacrificed in exchange of development?

It is a government social responsibility to protect his people but the reality now,
protection is for rich and powerful clan only.

There is a need to have balance in order not to add harmful effects to the environment and
lives of the people.

Poverty eradication should not equate to environment destruction through reclamation and
displacement of our fellow Filipinos from their residences and livelihood.

References :

Interaksyon.com , June 16, 2013 Issue

Philstar.com, June 5, 2013 Issue