MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is looking into the cumulative impacts of the proposed Pasig River Expressway and the ongoing reclamation activities in the Manila Bay—projects that scientists and environmentalists warned would destroy important ecosystems.
In a briefing Tuesday, Environment Secretary Antonio Loyzaga said there is no timeframe for the issuance of the environmental compliance certificate for PAREX. An ECC will allow the project proponent to secure approvals from other government agencies.
Related Stories
“What we’re trying to do is evaluate this issue called cumulative impact. This is the same approach that we’re taking with the various ECCs that have been given in areas where there are multiple projects in a single ecosystem,” Loyzaga said.
PAREX, a 19-kilometer elevated expressway that will run along the banks of Pasig River, is seen by its proponent San Miguel Corp. and the government as a solution to address the traffic congestion in Manila.
But environment, mobility and heritage advocates who are part of the Move As One Coalition have said the project “will deliver little or no benefit while causing significant harm.”
According to the coalition, the proposed expressway will exacerbate—not solve—the traffic congestion in Metro Manila, affect heritage structures, and further degrade the waterway.
The Toll Regulatory Board said in March that SMC was looking for an independent consultant and preparing an ECC application to be submitted to the DENR.
Compliance monitoring
The environment department is also studying the cumulative impacts of reclamation activities in Manila Bay and monitoring the compliance of the projects that are under construction.
According to Loyzaga, the DENR is looking into possible violations of “at least one party” involved in reclamation activities. She, however, refused to name the entity.
“They will be called in for a technical conference to see whether they have explanations for the potential noncompliance that was observed,” she said.
According to groups under People’s Network for the Integrity of Coastal Habitats and Ecosystem, there are around 50 reclamation projects across the country, which will potentially affect 27,000 hectares of coastal and marine resources.
Twenty reclamation projects are in Manila Bay. SMC's New Manila International Airport project in Bulacan is one of the reclamation projects in the bay.
Green and fishers’ groups opposing reclamation have warned that dump-and-fill projects and other related activities such as dredging will destroy habitats, resulting in decline in fisheries production, loss of livelihood. Such activities are also seen to expose coastal communities to strong cyclones, storm surge, and floods.