Atienza vows to stop Manila Bay reclamation

Manila, Philippines -  Former Manila mayor and former environment secretary Lito Atienza vowed yesterday to seek the help of President Aquino, as well as exhaust all legal remedies, to stop the Manila Bay reclamation project.

“We will write a letter to the President to save Manila Bay from being salvaged. They have salvaged the Baywalk area, and now, they want to salvage the waters of Manila Bay,” Atienza told reporters in a press conference at G Hotel in Manila.

He said he will ask the Supreme Court for a writ of kalikasan, noting that the project will have grave environmental and economic implications.

Atienza also urged on Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno not to approve the contract for the reclamation project.  

He said Manila City officials entered into a consortium agreement with Manila Goldcoast Development Corp. on April 17 to develop the bay area. 

Goldcoast will fund and execute the reclamation and provide construction facilities, while the city has agreed to provide utilities, facilitate right-of-way, and to assist in importing or exporting construction tools and even labor.

Goldcoast will get 70.55 percent of the proceeds while the city government will receive 29.45 percent.

Atienza denounced the manner by which Ordinance 8233, which authorizes the city government to file an application with the Philippine Reclamation Authority to reclaim portions of Manila Bay, was passed by the city council last year.

He said it repealed – not amended – Ordinance 7777, which bans the reclamation of Manila Bay from the United States embassy to the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Ordinance 7777 was passed in 1993.

Atienza said the city council should have held public hearings before passing Ordinance 8233.

City legal officer Renato de la Cruz said there is nothing illegal in the enactment of Ordinance 8233, and noted that the reclamation will benefit residents.

He said there are no more places in Manila to create businesses and opportunities for investments, adding that they want to put Manila back as the center of the “economic boom.”

De la Cruz also dismissed fars by Atienza that the reclamation would cause flooding in Manila. He clarified that the reclamation will be from Quirino Avenue up to the Philippine Navy and Manila Yacht Club on Pablo Ocampo street.

“The initial plan that the reclamation will be from the US embassy up to Manila Yacht Club was already abandoned,” he said.

Vice Mayor Isko Moreno said they will not venture into projects that will adversely affect Manila and its people.