A FORMER Manila mayor who had strongly opposed reclamation projects in Manila Bay on Friday backed the decision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to suspend all reclamation projects straddling four southern cities and one province.
Former Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, who once also head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), said in a statement: “Truly, he is our only hope to see the wrongfulness of approving 22 reclamation projects in the Bay. We also support the investigation into how these projects came about. What yardstick was used to allow all this in the first place?”
“No one will benefit from it but the private owners. Enough is enough! BBM should continue protecting the welfare of the people and not just a few,” added Atienza, the only Manila mayor who served three successive terms, during which he championed a redevelopment of the districts facing Manila Bay, creating the acclaimed Baywalk area.
According to Atienza, the reclamation projects did not even pass the local government of Manila. “So, who approved this in Manila? We strongly condemn this irresponsible disregard [for] future generations,” he added.
In 1995, during his term as Vice Mayor of Manila, Atienza said they passed Ordinance No. 7777, banning all forms of reclamation in Manila Bay.
“Our commitment to protect Manila Bay has always taken precedence. We continued this during our three terms as Mayor of Manila and even developed the promenade into what became known as the Baywalk. This afforded people with an unimpeded view of the spectacular Manila Bay sunset,” he said.
But this ordinance, Atienza said, was repealed by the succeeding administration.
“This opened the floodgates that allowed reclamation projects in the Bay. We continued our crusade for the protection of the Bay as Environment Secretary when we sided with the environmentalists who were forcing the government to clean up Manila Bay,” he said.
Atienza also said environmentalists were surprised when they sided with their position before the Supreme Court, contrary to past DENR administrations.
“Because of this, the Supreme Court in 2008 issued a writ of continuing mandamus to clean up, rehabilitate, preserve, and restore it to its pristine condition—not to put dolomite sand, but to clean the waters,” he said.
“Tama kayo [You are right], Mr. President, nawala na ang tubig sa [the water is gone from] Manila Bay. Had BBM not intervened and stopped these 22 projects, we would have lost the Bay—the biggest jewel of the City of Manila. This Bay has benefited our generation and will benefit future ones,” Atienza added.
On Thursday, at a briefing in Malacañang, current DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said an order stopping all land-reclamation activities would be issued shortly to enforce President Marcos’ suspension order, issued verbally. A review is also underway for all projects as part of the DENR’s mandate from the SC.
Land reclamation in an environmentally critical area as Manila Bay—a key water body and major fishing ground in Luzon—requires a rigid and thorough review, she added.