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Fishermen continue to suffer despite suspension of reclamation: Pamalakaya

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Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Members of PAMALAKAYA and several environmental group hold a protest in front of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) headquarters in Quezon City on August 16, 2023 to express concern on the ongoing reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/09/06/20230816-manila-bay-reclamation-protest-jc1017.jpg"/><figcaption>Members of PAMALAKAYA and several environmental group hold a protest in front of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) headquarters in Quezon City on August 16, 2023 to express concern on the ongoing reclamation projects in Manila Bay. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – A month since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of reclamation activities along the Manila Bay Area, fisherfolk group Pamalakaya says dredging continues to happen off the coast of Cavite. </p><p>The group alleges that sand collected from this area is used to dump portions of reclamations along the famous bay.</p><p>According to Pamalakaya National President Fernando Hicap, though operations have been halted due to the suspension, the impact of the unfinished reclamation projects is largely felt by fishermen.</p><p>“Dati rati, yung bahagi ng Rosario sa tabi, maglakad ka lang ay may mahuhuli kang isda. Pero ngayon, wala na. Dati rati may mga shells diyan na makukuha kapag walang pang ulam, ngayon ay wala na dahil natabunan ng mga burak ng dredging,” he said.</p><p>Because of this, many are forced to go further out into the sea -- even reaching Zambales, Bataan and Batangas and raising possibilities of conflict among fishermen.</p><p>“Nagrereklamo na rin yung mga mangingisda sa lugar na &#x27;yun kasi may kahati na sila sa dapat kanilang huhulihin. Naging kaagaw na yung mangingisda dito sa Manila Bay na dumadayo doon. Tapos lumalaki yung gastos. Dati sa gitna lang ng Manila Bay, P1,000 lang ang gastos, ngayon nado-doble,” Hicap explained.</p><p>The group challenged the president to order a halt to all measures that will have negative impacts on the development and sustainability of the environment especially thriving ecosystems relied upon by many for livelihood.</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>	<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></ul><div><strong>Calls for a credible assessment</strong></div><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/life/09/06/20230228-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. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In August, Pamalakaya staged a protest in front of the the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in Quezon City to call upon Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga to include independent researchers, scientist and groups in the cumulative impact assessment of reclamation activities along Manila Bay.</p><p>The DENR said the assessment, which will take 4-months, is ongoing.</p><p>Hicap said they received no word from the environment chief regarding their appeal.</p><p>“Kaya kami nananawagan ng ganito para once and for all yung kredibilidad ng resulta ng assessment ay makatotohanan. Kung walang independent at lahat yan ay government agency lalo na kung Manila Bay Rehabilitation Task Force led by DENR, lahat naman yun ay pabor sa reclamation eh. Lahat yun ayt hindi pabor sa dredging. Kaya wala tayong aasahan na totoo, makatarungan at maka-environment na ginagawang envrinment assessment sa reclamation ng Manila Bay,” Hicap said.</p><p>As of writing, the DENR remains mum on developments of the assessment. <br/>Despite an ongoing evaluation, results will form part of the oral arguments the Supreme Court has resolved to conduct by the end of the month.</p><p>In its website, the SC called the MMDA, DENR, Department of Education, Department of health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Budget and Management, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage system to inform the court specifically on:</p><p>1. Their measurement benchmarks of the pollution in Manila Bay;</p><p>2. Current government strategies being implemented to comply with their mandate to clean up, rehabilitate, and preserve Manila Bay, and restore and maintain its waters to SB level (Class B Sea waters per Water Classification Tables under Department of Environment and Natural Resources [DENR] Order No. 34 [1990]) to make them fit for swimming, skin-diving, and other forms of contact recreation;</p><p>3. Realistic targets for the next five years; and</p><p>4. Ongoing reclamations and their respective environmental impact assessments especially their effect </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/10/23/what-if-theyre-spies-tulfo-on-chinese-workers-in-manila-bay-reclamation">&#x27;What if they&#x27;re spies?&#x27; Tulfo raises questions about Chinese workers on Manila Bay reclamation</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/01/23/us-embassy-flags-chinese-firm-in-manila-bay-reclamation">US Embassy flags Chinese firm in Manila Bay reclamation</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=2757494" 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>

A month since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of reclamation activities along the Manila Bay Area, Pamalakaya said dredging continues to happen off the coast of Cavite. 

Fishermen continue to suffer despite suspension of reclamation: Pamalakaya

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Fishermen continue to suffer despite suspension of reclamation: Pamalakaya

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 06, 2023 06:17 PM PHT

Read More:

Pamalakaya

reclamation

fisherfolk

Manila Bay reclamation

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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