Manila Bay reclamation and its impacts on the people and environment

Many private business groups and government agencies are pushing to reclaim much of coastal Manila Bay. Their primary motivation is to create additional urban space for the expansion of Metro Manila, a megacity of 12 million people. These spaces are mainly envisioned for commercial and industrial use and to create more urban villages. But at what price? Several of the most significant impacts of reclaiming Manila Bay on the people and environment are summarized.

Manila Bay was once a productive fishing area; destructive fishing practices, massive pollution, and unabated land conversion of wetlands and coastal areas have contributed to the marine ecosystem's deterioration. The destruction of Manila Bay's marine ecosystem threatens the food supply stability of surrounding communities.

Coastal communities around Manila Bay are already exposed to numerous natural hazards, particularly those related to earthquakes (e.g. liquefaction, tsunamis) and hydro-meteorological events (e.g., floods, storm surges). The effects of these hazards are exacerbated by accelerated land subsidence due to over-extraction of groundwater.

Urban expansion—the goal of the proposed land reclamation projects—puts more people in areas susceptible to natural hazards. It will also displace thousands of communities that rely on Manila Bay for their livelihood. This will result in more internal displacement of peoples and migration to cities, which puts additional strains on these surrounding urban centers. Losing of a vital local food source will result in higher food prices, mainly impacting the poor communities. The confluence of natural hazards and vulnerable populations with limited resilience capacity results in a much higher disaster risk.

The Philippine government has a clear directive to rehabilitate and preserve Manila Bay through the writ of continuing mandamus issued by the Philippine Supreme Court. Land reclamation directly contradicts that mandate. Furthermore, scientific evidence clearly shows the negative socio-economic effects of reclamation in Manila Bay. More reclamation project proposals continue to be entertained, nonetheless.