Protective writ sought vs Manila Bay reclamation, dredging

December 11, 2024 | 5:16pm

MANILA, Philippines — Fisherfolk and environmental groups filed a petition on Wednesday, December 11, asking the Supreme Court to compel the government to stop reclamation and dredging at Manila Bay.

Groups PAMALAKAYA and Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment’s petition for a writ of kalikasan cites the “distress” that coastal communities supposedly experience due to the activities across Manila Bay. 

A writ is a legal remedy to those individuals whose constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology is violated or threatened. Such violation could be deemed an unlawful act or omission of a public officer, private individual or entity involving environmental damage that prejudices life, health or property of residents.

The petitioners specifically asked the court to declare void the 10 seabed quarry permits that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued. Besides those permits, 13 reclamation permits and environmental compliance certificates were also approved by the Philippine Reclamation Authority. 

The 10 seabed quarry approvals were made between 2019 and 2023 for the use of marine sediment in Manila Bay for construction materials. 

“Some of them for various reclamation projects including the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, and other uses. A dozen more seabed quarry projects are in the pipeline,” the petition read. 

Two of the 13 reclamation activities the Philippine Reclamation Authority put its stamp on during the same period were also questioned as violating a presidential moratorium.

The court was similarly asked to halt processing of applications for reclamation and seabed quarrying until they were assessed as environmentally sound.

Effects to fisherfolk

Petitioners say the reclamation and dredging impacted the livelihood of 300,000 fisherfolks in the country.

“They didn’t change their traditional methods of fishing, bait or location during the period, but the catch was unusually low. Squids, in fact, were completely gone… The only thing different at that time was the seabed quarry and reclamation activities within or near their municipal waters in Manila Bay,” the petition read. 

“The combined size of these reclamation projects including those in the pipeline would be around 9,000 hectares, which is almost three times larger than the total land area of Macao and more than twice the size of the entire City of Manila,” it added.

Reduction of fish catch, higher maintenance costs for travel and repairs, all resulting in loss of income and “increased hardships,” were also seen as an effect of dredging and reclamation in Manila Bay.

“All these consequences may have been avoided had the respondents performed holistic cumulative impacts assessments, produced RDPs, and fully informed the fisherfolks about the cumulative impacts of seabed quarry and reclamation for effective public participation and to prepare themselves for the consequences,” the petition read.