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Advocates Philippines
Sen. Cynthia Villar Grills Officials Over Reclamation Projects
Photo credit: Senate PH
In a heated public hearing held on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, Chairperson of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, interrogated former Director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), William Cuñado, and other DENR and Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) officials regarding the issuance of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the controversial reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
Villar, a staunch advocate for environmental conservation, expressed her concern over the ownership of Manila Bay, asking, "I thought Manila Bay is owned by the people of the Philippines. Who is the proponent of this?" She was informed that the Pasay City government had requested the reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
The senator, who hails from Las Piñas, raised questions regarding the ECC issued by Cuñado, particularly its impact on the protected area, the Las Piñas-Paranaque Wetland Park.
Villar argued that this move could adversely affect the outlet of four vital rivers, including the Las Piñas River, Parañaque River, Zapote River, and Molino River of Bacoor, which could result in flooding in Las Piñas, with water levels rising as much as six to eight meters.
Villar stressed the ecological significance of the Las Piñas-Paranaque Wetland Park as the largest spawning ground for fishes in Manila Bay. She warned, "Do you know that the Las Piñas-Paranaque Wetland Park is the biggest spawning ground of fishes in Manila Bay? If you reclaim the park, the mangroves will be killed off. No more spawning ground for fishes in Manila Bay. We planted the mangrove in the 1990s so it can protect Las Piñas-Paranaque from typhoon surges."
Villar, a staunch advocate for environmental conservation, expressed her concern over the ownership of Manila Bay, asking, "I thought Manila Bay is owned by the people of the Philippines. Who is the proponent of this?" She was informed that the Pasay City government had requested the reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
The senator, who hails from Las Piñas, raised questions regarding the ECC issued by Cuñado, particularly its impact on the protected area, the Las Piñas-Paranaque Wetland Park.
Villar argued that this move could adversely affect the outlet of four vital rivers, including the Las Piñas River, Parañaque River, Zapote River, and Molino River of Bacoor, which could result in flooding in Las Piñas, with water levels rising as much as six to eight meters.
Villar stressed the ecological significance of the Las Piñas-Paranaque Wetland Park as the largest spawning ground for fishes in Manila Bay. She warned, "Do you know that the Las Piñas-Paranaque Wetland Park is the biggest spawning ground of fishes in Manila Bay? If you reclaim the park, the mangroves will be killed off. No more spawning ground for fishes in Manila Bay. We planted the mangrove in the 1990s so it can protect Las Piñas-Paranaque from typhoon surges."
Oct 25, 2023
