MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) is under fire from environmentalists once again over a remark in a recently uploaded video saying mangroves can be relocated if they are in the way of a reclamation project.
The video was part of the PRA’s efforts to respond to criticisms after they posted — and then deleted — a post calling for lease or joint venture proposals in the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP), a protected area and Ramsar site.
“[‘Y]ung mga mangroves na siya ring bahay ng mga isda pwede rin itong mailipat kung ito ay masasakupan ng isang pagtatambak ng lupa. At mas marami pa siguro sa itatanim natin sa paligid kapag ang reclamation ay nakumpleto na,” said PRA general manager and CEO Cesar Siador Jr. in the video posted Tuesday, April 15.
(The mangroves, which are fish habitats, can also be relocated if they will be in the way of a reclamation project. And there may be more mangroves planted after a reclamation project is completed.)
Before the video, the PRA also released two statements on Monday, April 14. The first one clarified that regulated development is allowed in protected areas, including LPPWP.
Four hours later, in its second statement, warned environmental groups of some private developers “co-opting” their advocacy to oppose the development of a 300-hectare project in the area.
Concerned youth environmental organizations pointed out that uprooting mature mangroves may only further degrade the ecosystem. Planting activities, the remedy offered by the PRA, do not guarantee that mangrove seedlings will survive.
“Removing mature mangroves and replacing them with newly planted seedlings [are] unsustainable,” youth groups said Tuesday.
The LPPWP, located on the southern part of Manila Bay, has 36 hectares of mangrove covers. It is a favorite destination for bird watchers, as it’s part of the migration path of birds fleeing winter. The LPPWP is temporarily closed due to findings on bird health.
The Global Mangrove Alliance in the Philippines called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to issue a clarification that the LPPWP is not open for development and for the PRA to retract its invitation to business.
The alliance invoked three levels of protection for LPPWP: its designation under the law as a critical habitat and as a protected area, and its international recognition under the Ramsar Convention.
“Metro Manila has already lost over 99% of its mangrove forests,” the alliance said. “We cannot afford to lose LPPWP — our last urban ecological frontier and a natural heritage that belongs to all Filipinos, present and future.”
Outgoing Senator Cynthia Villar, whose family has interests in real estate, land development, and retail, is a known champion of the LPPWP. Her latest push in the Senate regarding the wetland park was the creation of a three-kilometer buffer zone “to enhance conservation and protection of the living ecosystem.”
Incidentally, the PRA and the DENR are facing a complaint filed before the Supreme Court (SC). The SC en banc already impleaded private firms engaged in seabed quarrying and reclamation in Manila Bay. – Rappler.com