黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Citing its cumulative impact assessment of reclamation activities along Manila Bay, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga bared that 鈥渁ny physical change in the configuration of the embayment would, in fact, change the way the water and other pollutants behave in the area.鈥�

Speaking at the Senate panel on public works鈥� Thursday hearing, disclosed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources鈥� (DENR) findings of its impact assessment on reclamation activities along the bay.

鈥淚n general, reclamation projects will slow down the flow of water and will change the circulation and retention of pollutants and organic materials that are already in the bay. This does not include yet what will be coming from the inland. So what we are doing now is combining what is coming from the inland under different bodies of water and what is coming from the ocean itself, from the bay itself,鈥� said Yulo-Loyzaga.

The DENR chief鈥檚 remarks came after tropical cyclone Carina ravaged through Luzon, leaving widespread flooding in most areas including Metro Manila.

To recall, some senators blamed the ongoing reclamation projects in the bay for 聽the flooding.

鈥淪o these models are being run to [also] include extreme events such as what has happened. And what will happen now to drainage as well as circulation of these chemical and biological matters in the bay. So in general any change geometrically, physically in terms of infrastructure that is introduced will change the way the bay behaves,鈥� she added.

According to Yulo-Loyzaga, the cumulative impact assessment was undertaken by the DENR, adding that with the model runs that they are actually undertaking, there will be an ecological cost and an economic cost to introducing anything into Manila Bay.

鈥淚n relation to the implementation of the mandamus ruling. The question that we now have in terms of the different scenarios that will be possible is who will pay for that additional burden in terms of achieving the mandamus order,鈥� she added.

In the same hearing, the DENR chief likewise cited the case of SM group.

According to her, SM group鈥檚 Manila Bay reclamation project used to have no gap between the seawall and the inland.

鈥淸But] on the basis of the recommendation, they have now 鈥� they are now implementing a channel between the seawall and the island of about 400 plus meters,鈥� Yulo-Loyzaga explained.

READ: PH senators on Metro Manila flood: 鈥楻eclamation pa more!鈥�

Panel head Sen. Bong Revilla proceeded to state that this channel would help prevent flooding. To this, Yulo-Loyzaga answered yes.

鈥淪o they are implementing this now as part of an engineering solution to the issue of circulation,鈥� she said.