SEN. Joseph Victor Ejercito yesterday called on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to conduct an investigation into the alleged questionable move by the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) granting local government agencies the authority to enter into contracts with companies for reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
In an interview with radio dzBB, Ejercito said he has received information that the PRA issued an “executive order” during the latter months of the Duterte administration authorizing the cities of Manila, Paranaque, Pasay, and Bacoor in Cavite to enter into reclamation contracts.
He said the investigation should focus on whether the granting of permits to companies underwent the right process, determine if the projects have environmental impact assessments, determine if the projects have floodways, look into the engineering aspect of the projects, and who issued “all these permits.”
President Marcos had ordered the indefinite suspension of the reclamation projects, except for one, pending the review of their compliance with the requirements and conditions stated in their environmental permits, along with the ongoing impact assessment of the projects.
Ejercito said since Manila Bay is a “patrimonial asset,” the national government should have the authority to enter into contracts for reclamation projects.
“It looks like it was hurried at the end of his (Duterte’s) term, that the PRA issued an executive order but it was not signed by the President (Duterte), that’s why the LGUs now have the authority to enter into contracts for reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Why were the LGUs given the authority when Manila Bay is owned by the whole country?” Ejercito said.
He said those responsible for the issuance of such authority should be held liable since as far as he knows, former President Duterte did not want or approve the reclamation projects.
He said reclamation projects in Manila Bay must address three concerns — environmental, patrimonial, and national security, adding that the majority of workers in 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay are Chinese.
Environmental since it will degrade the environment, patrimonial since it is owned by the Filipino people, and national security due to the presence of Chinese who have been bullying the country’s vessels within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.
“I have seen that more than 90 percent are Chinese vessels, even the workers, the skippers are all Chinese. It is also possible that these people are the same workers who constructed the reclamation project at the West Philippine Sea which we used to monitor but we don’t realize that they are already here. The government should inspect (these Chinese vessels) because there might be members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on board the boats who are spying on us,” Ejercito said.
He said the Blue Ribbon committee must also find out why the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority were not consulted on the reclamation projects.
“The engineers and planners are with the DPWH. The MMDA is in charge of flood management. If these agencies are not consulted, these (projects) lack the proper engineering, that’s why we need to see the environmental impact of these projects. And if they are not consulted, this is a cause of concern,” he added.
He said since the Manila Bay reclamation projects lack consultation with proper agencies, there is a possibility that flooding in Metro Manila will worsen as these may block the waters coming out of the bay, just like what happened in the case of the Dolomite Beach that he said caused floodings in the once flood-free Malate district in Manila.
He said stopping these projects will have an impact on foreign investors but the interest of the Filipino should be given priority.
