Lheane Jhamae Senining

Stem J-Jordan

Position Paper: Reclamation of Manila Bay

Manila Bay plays an important part in Philippine history, it served as the

battleground for some of the wars that happened in our country. In the Philippine
context, however, reclamation is an often discussed issue, especially when it comes to
land reclamation of our bays in the metro areas. Manila Bay was once a productive
fishing area; destructive fishing practices, massive pollution, and unabated land
conversion of wetlands and coastal areas have contributed to the marine ecosystem's
deterioration. Rapid urbanization in the last 150 years as a result of the expansion of the
City of Manila and its suburbs has changed the estuarine watershed and has resulted in
environmental change. The first Manila Bay reclamation project undertaken during the
administration of then President Ferdinand Marcos which had the government as the
main beneficiary. Thus, from the reclaimed area rose the Cultural Center of the
Philippines Complex which includes the Folk Art Theater, the Coconut Palace, the Film
Center and the Philippine International Convention Center which the government and
the people have been using for local and foreign guests since 1969 are still using going
into its 50th year by 2017. A hundred of years later, a new battle cry is born but it is a
battle for reclamation of manila bay.
There are 900 hectares in manila bay for reclaimed areas because of the 5 to 6
proposed project. The trouble with projects is that they will be destroying the waters and
coastal lines which form part of the public domain and yet they all aim at pleasing the
needs of the private sector for business expansions with the government, owner of the
all the supposed to be reclaimed areas, in the lowest priority of the equation. According
to environmental advocates “Dumping soil and getting some other sand and putting it in
other areas scientifically environmental science would say you put anything alien into an
area is pollution.” It’s like disobeying the supreme court to clean and rehabilitate the
manila bay. SOS Manila bay coalition created an online petition to stop the planned
reclamation because only few people will benefit in it. Like the saying that “Rich
becomes richer and poor becomes poorer.” They believed that manila bay is something
that needs to be preserved. “These projects violate our Constitutional right to balanced
and healthful ecology, as well as our fisheries and environmental laws. We are hoping
that our government will listen to the people," Ramos said. Environmental planners,
environmentalists, heritage, culture and arts, and religious groups disagree on
reclamation in Manila Bay because it disrupts the natural environment during natural
disasters.
The Manila Gold coast company reassured the concern of environmental
advocates regarding the sunset in manila bay. The Philippine Reclamation Authority
and the Manila Gold coast development corp. said that the reclaimed lands can also act
as natural barriers as wave breakers against tsunamis and storm surges. Environmental
planners, urban planners, and other professionals, meanwhile, also see the possible
positive economical financial market that reclamation can bring into the country. The
planned reclamation is called The Solar City “where the sun not only sets but also rises”
There will be parks, hotels, buildings for offices and supposedly the new manila city hall.
The government will allot money for the grand bridges that will make it connected to
each other and to the seaside.The reclamation will not affect the sunset, the sun will still
set in that area. In reclamation You can recreate the land but it must have to be done
properly meaning you have to undertake studies to be able to established it
environmentally and economically we’ll have a better and a quality-spaced for our
development manila is already overcrowded it will contribute greatly to our revenue it
will provide more employment.
I personally agree with the idea of reclamation of manila bay because I think that’s what our
country needed the most. Let’s just be practical, reclamation projects like The Solar City will be
a big help for our country’s economic status. It will also help to lessen the poverty because of
the employments. If it’s because of the historic memory of manila bay, we all know that the
rehabilitation of manila bay is on going due to trash that mostly made by filipinos then might as
well use it to help our economy grow since most of the filipinos are not really taking care our
cultural heritage.
The Solar City Reclamation Project will cover some 148 hectares, while the Waterfront
City Reclamation Project will cover around 318 hectares in the polluted
bay. Representatives of the reclamation projects, meanwhile, assured that they have
studied the plans to develop portions of Manila Bay to address concerns by
environmentalists. Edmund Lim, Vice Chairman of Manila Gold coast Development
Corp. which is behind the Solar City project, said they have already secured an
Environmental Compliance Certificate. The finances could be used for other
developments, like environment rehabilitation, retrofitting of ruined and historic
buildings, or in developing existing and underdeveloped areas, provide housing for the
urban poor, improve transportation and other infrastructure. Land reclamation tends to
be expensive because reclaimed soil is weak, compressible, takes many years to
stabilize, and consequently not economic for tall buildings. Foundations are expensive
because you can only build low-rise buildings on raft or mat footings and other
expensive engineering measures. Creating new urban land creates more access roads
that connects to/from existing main roads and can contribute to further traffic congestion
and slow down drainage and flood control. Reclamation is sometimes seen as cheaper
in terms of land development because all projects will be built on new land, and can be
freely designed.
References:

Rivas, R. (February 18, 2019) Retrieved from

https://www.rappler.com/views/imho/222596-reasons-oppose-manila-bay-reclamation-
projects

Abenir, M.A (February 03, 2019) Retrieved from

https://www.rappler.com/views/imho/222596-reasons-oppose-manila-bay-reclamation-
projects

Palafox Jr., F. (July 30, 2014) Retrieved from

https://www.manilatimes.net/reclamation-pros-cons/115249/

https://eia.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/PDS-Manila-Waterfront-City-
Reclamation-Project.pdf

Rosario, B. (February 11, 2019) Retrieved from

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/02/11/reclamation-projects-covering-20000-hectares-of-
manila-bay-as-good-as-approved/

Sources: DENR, DENR (02), G.R. Nos. 171947-48, CNN Philippines, ABS-CBN
News, BusinessMirror, and New Manila Bay City of Pearl Facebook (February 04, 2019)
Retrieved from http://primer.com.ph/blog/2019/02/04/battle-for-manila-bay-the-
rehabilitation-of-the-historic-bay/

Philippines Today (August 07, 2016) Retrieved from

http://philippinestodayus.com/editorial-other-articles/item/707-manila-bay-reclamation-
frenzy.html

Rodolfo, K. (October 03, 2013) Retrieved from

https://www.philstar.com/business/science-and-environment/2013/10/03/1240670/why-
reclamation-nearshore-manila-bay-very-bad-idea

Salazar, T. (February 15, 2013) Retrieved from

https://business.inquirer.net/107809/urban-planner-cites-pros-cons-of-manila-bay-
reclamation-project

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https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-91382-7_5
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people and environment Retrieved from
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018AGUFMPA43E1385E