Hold companies accountable for fisherfolk displaced by Manila Bay reclamation — group

MANILA, Philippines — A fisher group has called on the government to go beyond the suspension of Manila Bay reclamation projects, saying that companies should also be held accountable for the hundreds of fisherfolk already displaced due to reclamation activities.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday announced that nearly all Manila Bay reclamation projects have been suspended following concerns over its environmental impact and alleged security threats posed by the involvement of a Chinese firm blacklisted by Washington in the projects.

Lawmakers on Tuesday called for a probe on China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC)’s involvement in Manila Bay reclamation activities and the environmental damage wrought by other reclamation projects in the area.

"In order to make President Marcos's statement concrete, the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) should promptly review the 21 environmental compliance certificates (ECC) for the Manila Bay reclamations,” a representative of Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said.  

“Above all, the suspension of projects alone is not enough; there should be accompanying accountability for the companies responsible for the destruction of our fisheries and the forced displacement of fishermen,” PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo said in Filipino.

For instance, the reclamation in Bacoor City, Cavite displaced over 300 fishing families, Arambulo said.

“They should be allowed to return, and the damaged mangroves in their communities must be restored,” he added.

Fair compensation should also be offered to fishermen who have lost their means of living, the group added.

Similarly, environmental group Oceana has also urged the government to put an end to reclamation projects, which it said has “led to an alarming degradation of the environment” and the destruction of sources of fisheries. 

“This is simply unjust and unacceptable,” Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos said.

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said that the department is reviewing all contracts of reclamation projects in Manila Bay "carefully" to evaluate the effects of reclamation on the area.

Loyzaga also said that reclamation projects were approved individually without assessing their combined cumulative impact.

Around 20 reclamation projects are currently ongoing at Manila Bay. An estimated quarter of the area could be “destroyed” due to dump-and-fill projects and other activities like seabed quarrying and dredging, said Jon Bonifacio, national coordinator of Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment.

In 2022, the Philippine Reclamation Authority said that there are more than 180 reclamation projects across the country, all of which Arambulo said would drive up the number of destroyed habitats and kill marine and aquatic ecosystems.

Scientists and environmental advocates said Manila Bay is unsuitable for reclamation and coastal development due to the risks posed by floods and intensified typhoon-induced storm surges, among others.

The Supreme Court in 2008 ordered government agencies like the DENR to undertake the restorate and rehabilitation of Manila Bay and ensure its waters are safe for the commercial propagation of fish, as well as for swimming, skin diving and other recreational activities.

— Cristina Chi with reports by Gaea Katreena Cabico