Militant group Pamalakaya has warned that the planned reclamation project will have long-lasting damaging impacts to marine biodiversity in Manila Bay which in the process will also greatly affect the livelihood of small fishermen.
THE P12 billion seabed quarrying project in Manila Bay that was proposed by Silverquest Mining Resources Inc. (SMRI) must be rejected by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Militant fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) made the call after reports indicated SMRI has already applied for an environmental compliance certificate for the project.
It wants to cover 2,124 hectares of municipal waters in Ternate and Naic in Cavite for seabed quarrying.
Environmental impacts
In this project, the SMRI also hopes to dredge mud, silt, sand, and other quarry materials for the 318-hectare Manila Waterfront Project, one of the few reclamation projects of the City of Manila.
According to Pamalakaya, “dredging-related stressors” will heavily cause environmental impacts to marine biodiversity and the livelihood of small fishermen.
“Dredging-related stressors such as movement of solid particles, habitat loss, discharging of toxic contaminants, and noise pollution inflict damage to marine biodiversity,” said Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya National Chairperson.
This, as he called on the DENR to reject and oppose the project.
It is an “environmentally dangerous reclamation project” in Manila Bay in the long run.
Disastrous
“Reclamation has been widely opposed and proven environmentally disastrous by fisherfolk and even science and environmental experts,” he said.
“It must be a no-brainer for the DENR to reject this proposal as it obviously runs contrary to its mandate to rehabilitate Manila Bay and restore its waters for fishery resources development and recreational use,” Hicap added.
If pushed through, then Hicap said, “the DENR would only further expose itself as an anti-environment agency that never heeds the science-backed sentiment of the people.”
Rehabilitating Manila Bay does not need seabed quarry and land reclamation projects, he added. (EFO)
Tags: #ManilaBay, #reclamation, #Pamalakaya, #DepartmentOfEnvironmentandNaturalResources