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Oceana wants Philippine government to end all reclamation activities in Manila Bay

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Fishermen from Cavite, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, and Bulacan conduct a fluvial protest, calling for their welfare and livelihood amid an ongoing reclamation project happening in front of the Philippine Senate in Pasay City on February 28, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/08/12/20230228-manila-bay-reclamation-md-16.jpg"/><figcaption>Fishermen from Cavite, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, and Bulacan conduct a fluvial protest, calling for their welfare and livelihood amid an ongoing reclamation project happening in front of the Philippine Senate in Pasay City on February 28, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News </figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Environment group Oceana on Saturday urged the Philippine government to finally end the reclamation activities in the Manila Bay, not just suspend it, citing its long-term damage to the environment. </p><p>Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria Ramos said &quot;it would be a lot of help to everyone if all these projects were stopped,&quot; as she described these projects as ecologically-devastating.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/10/23/all-manila-bay-reclamation-projects-suspended-denr">DENR says all 22 Manila Bay reclamation projects suspended</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/07/16/21/as-big-as-10-lunetas-4000-basketball-courts-what-is-the-p23-billion-land-reclamation-project-in-dumaguete">As big as 10 Lunetas, 4,000 basketball courts: What is the P23-billion land reclamation project in Dumaguete?</a></li></ul><p>&quot;We have basis to show that these processes were not complied with. We urge the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to involve the stakeholders in their assessment,&quot; Ramos said on ANC&#x27;s Dateline Philippines. </p><p>&quot;Local communities and scientists know more than anyone else the impacts of these projects and these have been felt already. We are aggravating the impacts of climate change, reclamations, and pollution already happening in the area,&quot; she added. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/27/23/denr-probes-potential-violations-in-manila-bay-reclamation">DENR probes potential violations in Manila Bay reclamation</a></li></ul><p>The Oceana official also challenged the DENR, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to join their policy dialogue next week, so they would know the reclamation projects&#x27; impact to the communities.</p><p>Citing BFAR data, she said Manila Bay is a &quot;rich sardines spawning area.&quot; If the projects push through, it would create irreversible damage to the environment.</p><p>&quot;Dapat ang reclamation wala na, because it is no longer in accord with the 1987 Constitution,&quot; she said. </p><p>While it was possible to still overturn the reclamation projects&#x27; impact, Ramos said it could &quot;take our lifetime&quot; for the affected areas to be &quot;healed.&quot;</p><p>&quot;It is never too late, we can see na magtulungan tayo, okay nagkamali ang gobyerno but let&#x27;s work together kasama ang gobyerno,&quot; she said. </p><p>&quot;Ayusin natin ito. Ito ang ating challenge sa government, makita natin ang sinseridad at determinasyon na ayusin ang ating kalikasan,&quot; she said. </p><p>The DENR this week said all 22 reclamation projects in the Manila Bay have been suspended, following the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/08/08/23/marcos-suspends-all-but-one-manila-bay-reclamation-projects">announcement </a>of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.</p><p>Environment Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga said the impact assessment would first focus on ongoing projects &quot;because they are already impacting the areas,&quot; before moving on to projects that had yet to be started.</p><p>The study would also be tapping various experts, including physical scientists, oceanographers, geologists, climate scientists onboard, and even social scientists, Yulo-Loyzaga said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/02/23/the-big-one-tsunamis-must-be-considered-in-reclamation-denr">The &#x27;big one,&#x27; tsunami threat must be considered in reclamation projects: DENR</a></li></ul><p>As of February this year, the Philippine Reclamation Authority listed 52 reclamation projects in Manila Bay. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/04/23/denr-wants-to-slow-down-manila-bay-reclamation-sans-impact-study">DENR wants to slow down Manila Bay reclamation sans impact study</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2759671" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria Ramos said 'it would be a lot of help to everyone if all these projects were stopped,' as she described these projects as ecologically-devastating.

Oceana wants Philippine government to end all reclamation activities in Manila Bay

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Oceana wants Philippine government to end all reclamation activities in Manila Bay

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 12, 2023 04:35 PM PHT

Read More:

reclamation

Oceana Philippines

Oceana

Gloria Ramos

cumulative impact assessment

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