Villar to PRA: Consider public interest first

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Cynthia Villar has urged the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) to consider public interest first before financial gains in approving reclamation projects in the country.

During a recent joint hearing of the Senate committees on government corporations and public enterprises and on environment and natural resources which she presided over, Villar expressed alarm over the planned reclamation of 38,272 hectares of land under the National Reclamation Project (NRP).

Villar said the construction of the Cavite Expressway, which the PRA boasted as a successful reclamation project, resulted in the flooding of barangays in Cavite. 

Villar said inclusive growth, as espoused by President Aquino, means ensuring economic gains will trickle down to the poor.

Villar asked Joselito Gonzales, PRA assistant general manager, to also study how the NRP would benefit the poor and not only to make it attractive to investors.

The hearing was called based on Proposed Resolution No. 294, authored by Villar, directing a review of the mandate, powers and responsibilities of PRA and the approved reclamation projects in the country.

During the hearing, Villar supported the suggestion of Cesar Villanueva, chairman of the Governance Commission for GOCCs, to hire consultants that will provide an independent study of a proposed reclamation project.

Villar suggested that instead of reclamation, the government should focus more on urban renewal like what developers do in deteriorated areas abroad.