DENR: Reclamation not suspended but mandamus compliance a priority

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has clarified that reclamation projects in Manila Bay remain under the status quo.

At the same time, the environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) will be thoroughly reviewed, emphasizing that the agency’s current actions are grounded on its legal obligation under the Supreme Court’s Writ of Continuing Mandamus to restore the water quality of the bay.

DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, in an exclusive conversation with DAILY TRIBUNE during a visit to its office on Friday, underscored that the department’s efforts were driven by a 2008 court ruling, not by the opposition to the reclamation.

“The continued mandamus says that you have to restore Manila Bay so that people can swim in it. From the time the mandamus was issued, the government has invested a lot — on STPs, resettlement, etc.,” Loyzaga said.

The Supreme Court’s mandamus compels 13 national agencies — including the DENR, Department of Health, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development — to clean up and rehabilitate Manila Bay to a standard fit for recreational use, including making it swimmable.

Loyzaga said the department can’t act alone and is collaborating within the multi-agency framework set by the ruling.

“The Supreme Court has spoken,” she said. “We cannot do our job unless we know what we are facing.”

Loyzaga explained: “There’s a way to proceed so that you can preserve the ecosystem service that the bay provides, not just to developers but also to communities that rely on fishing. North and South Harbors are reclaimed. Luneta is reclaimed. Almost everything around Intramuros is reclaimed, but it was done in a sustainable way at the time.”

“I made that clear during the interview. They asked me, ‘Are you going to suspend?’ I said, ‘I cannot say we are going to cancel, but they will be scrutinized.’”

Her remarks came just days after the DENR released the results of the 2024 Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) on 30 April. The CIA is a comprehensive study assessing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of 21 reclamation projects in and around Manila Bay.

Conducted by the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation (MERF), the study found that while the bay remains biologically vibrant, unchecked reclamation threatens to undermine the ecosystem services, worsen flooding, and disrupt the livelihoods of the coastal communities.

MERF researchers documented 51 coral genera and 167 fish species in the bay — indicators of a recovering marine environment. However, the assessment warned that large-scale reclamation could trap pollutants, disrupt water flow, reduce fish habitats, and intensify flood risks in Metro Manila’s low-lying areas.

Dr. Charina Lyn Repollo warned that sedimentation, mangrove loss, and harmful algal blooms are direct consequences of poorly planned land conversion along the coastline. She noted that reclamation, if not correctly managed, becomes a bottleneck that hinders floodwater drainage and compounds the effects of extreme weather.

ECC on wheels

The DENR will now review all Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) issued to reclamation proponents. Loyzaga said the review process will involve consultations with the Philippine Reclamation Authority, local government units (LGUs), and community stakeholders.

Instead of relying on the bureaucracy alone, the DENR plans to revamp the ECC application process and bring it directly to local communities by putting the process on wheels.

“We will go around the island. You register and you apply for the proper permits. The government will go to the people,” Loyzaga said.

The cumulative impact study is just Phase 1. Phase 2 will include long-term water quality monitoring and improved flood modeling tools, which LGUs are expected to integrate into their development and disaster risk management plans.

The DENR’s firm stance comes as environmental watchdogs, coastal communities, and developers are closely monitoring the future of land reclamation in the capital region.

With billions of pesos tied to proposed real estate projects and a fragile marine environment at stake, the department’s stance underscores that the restoration of Manila Bay is not optional — it is a constitutional and judicial responsibility.