Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) — The chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said they are conducting an impact assessment of reclamation projects in Manila Bay, adding that one party might be non-compliant.
“What I have been given is some latitude… to actually present a cumulative impact assessment of different individual projects. We are undertaking that. We need to evaluate the cumulative impact of all of those projects together,” DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said when asked about President Ferdinand Marcos’ position on Manila Bay reclamation.Last May, the Philippine Reclamation Authority said that 22 applications for reclamation projects had been processed so far, with some of them securing approval, or up for implementation, and subject to compliance.Loyzaga said the DENR is already looking at compliance for those that have already begun working and also calling them in.“There are discussions ongoing for at least one party,” she said when asked if the DENR has spotted some violations.“They will be called in for a technical conference to see whether may explanation sila sa mga in-observe na (they have an explanation on) potential non-compliance,” the DENR chief added.
Late last year, Senator Cynthia Villar slammed the DENR for allowing reclamation projects in Manila Bay, which also reaches Cavite, despite worsening flooding in the capital.
