DENR: Manila Bay ‘alive,’ but reclamation threatens biodiversity, livelihood

This picture shows a barge unloading sand at a reclamation site in Manila Bay on March 14, 2023.

AFP/Ted Aljibe

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Bay has been the site of numerous reclamation projects aimed at urban development. Despite this, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the bay remains “alive.”

In a cumulative impact assessment presented on Wednesday, April 30, the agency acknowledged both the continued “vibrance” of Manila Bay and the risks posed by ongoing reclamation, which could harm marine ecosystems and threaten the livelihoods of fisherfolk — concerns long raised by environmental watchdogs.

This has led the fishers’ group PAMALAKAYA and the environmental group Kalikasan People’s Network to call for halting all reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

“As Manila Bay is alive, local government units need to take into consideration the social impacts, the cultural