Manila Bay White Sand Project Violates NCHA, Other Laws, Env. Groups Say
MANILA BAY WHITE SAND – Environmental groups slammed the initiative to dump crushed dolomite on Manila Bay, saying that this violates several laws.
Among the laws include the National Cultural Heritage Act, which requires Manila Bay to be preserved as a historical landmark, according to ABS-CBN News.
“We are alarmed that the P398-million Manila Bay beautification project is being implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) without compliance with our national laws, amid the very challenging COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis we face,”
This came from a position paper signed by several environment groups, among them includes:
- Oceana
- Living Laudato Si’ Philippines
- Environmental Legal Assistance Center
- Phil. Earth Justice Center, Inc.
- Archdiocese of Manila – Ministry on Ecology
- Integrated Rural Development Foundation
- NGOs for Fisheries Reform
- Tambuyog Development Center
- Pangingisda Natin Gawing Tama (PaNaGat) Network
- Dr. Jurgenne H. Primavera, Chief Mangrove Scientific Advisor of Zoological Society of London.
The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 protects Manila Bay, which was declared a National Historical Landmark in 2012.
“The act mandates that the bay ‘shall be maintained as close to their appearance at the time the area was of most importance to Philippine history as determined by the National Historical Institute,’”
The said position paper said that this will be sent to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, both chambers of Congress, the Ombudsman, the National Historical Commission and the Manila City local government.
“We condemn this project and it must be stopped as it has not undergone an environmental impact assessment nor a consultative and participatory process in both Manila Bay and in Cebu, as to its environmental impacts, thereby violating several environmental laws,”
Other laws that the initiative violated, as the groups claimed, might includeE nvironmental Impact System Laws and regulations, the Fisheries Code, the Clean Water Act, and the Local Government Code due to the lack of a environmental assessment and consultations.
The groups also added that dump-and-fill activities like the said initiative can cause aquatic pollution, marine habitat degradation, loss of globally important waterbird site, loss of sardine spawning grounds, and loss of mangroves and wetland areas, based on the report.
“Manila Bay is also a key biodiversity area identified by the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and a sardine spawning ground identified by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources through the National Fisheries Research Development Institute,”
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