TAGBILARAN CITY — The Department of Environment & Natural Resources will review the controversial 1.771-hectare reclamation project at the Rizal Boulevard “to accelerate climate action and strengthen disaster resilience” in the Region “by protecting and safeguarding the remaining key biodiversity areas and ecosystems here.
The DENR announced the move, as well as to review all the other reclamation projects in Central Visayas, during the recent meeting of the Regional Development Council here in Tagbilaran, which got the full support of the Council.
In the resolution of support, the RDC7, led by Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, also resolved to establish livable communities by conducting data collection and assessment of land and urban carrying capacities of local government units, and strengthen the enforcement of environmental laws.
Through Bohol’s Economic Development Committee, the RDC pushed for the conduct of a cumulative impact assessment and resilience analysis for the Region’s remaining 11 reclamation project applications without area clearances based on DENR guidelines.
This is prior to the processing for approval the regular monitoring of environmental compliance of four reclamation projects with issued area clearances.
Melanie Ng, the Economic Development committee chair in Bohol, noted that various groups have expressed opposition against the ongoing reclamation projects in Manila Bay due to its irreversible damage to marine ecosystems and to the livelihood of people living along the coast.
The Dumaguete reclamation project was issued an area clearance by the DENR, along with the 24.98-hectare Cebu South Harbor & Container Terminal Port Facility Project (San Roque and Tangke in Talisay City); the 100-hectare Minglanilla Reclamation & Land Development Project (Tungkil, Tulay and Calajo-an); and the 96.7-hectare (out of the application for 131 hectares) Global City Reclamation Project (Umapad and Paknaan in Mandaue City).
Eleven reclamation projects that were not issued area clearances are:
115-hectare Mandaue Reclamation Project (Looc, Subangdako, and Centro);
235-hectare Seafront City Reclamation Project (Tayud, Consolacion in Cebu);
24-hectare New Cebu International Container Port (Tayud, Consolacion in Cebu);
203-hectare Lapu-Lapu City Reclamation Project (Canjulao and Punta Engaño);
254-hectare Cordova Reclamation Project (Alegria; Catarman, Poblacion and Catarman in Lapu-lapu City);
15-hectare San Fernando Port Project (Poblacion South; Poblacion North and San Isidro in San Fernando, Cebu);
400-hectare Mactan North Reclamation & Development Project/Mactan Cebu Ocean City (Punta Engaño in Lapu-lapu City);
1,500-hectare SM Cordova Reclamation (Buagsong, Cordova, Cebu);
2.85-hectare Mantawi Harbour Esplanade (Subangdako in Mandaue City);
11-hectare Toledo Waterfront-Urban Development Reclamation Project (Poblacion Toledo City); and the
6.33-hectare Reclamation Project in Brgy. Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City.
It may be recalled that President Marcos Jr. announced on Aug. 7 the suspension of all Manila Bay projects.
On July 25, Environment Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo- Loyzaga, in a press statement, said the Supreme Court mandamus ruling on Manila Bay must be taken into account in all reclamation projects within the historic water body. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)
