The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was urged yesterday by the Militant fisherfolk group Pamalakaya to halt Manila Bay land reclamation program.
“We are highly disturbed by the admission of your department that DENR will not be a major obstacle to the reclamation projects to be undertaken by the PRA under the Public-Private Partnership program of the Aquino administration. There are 102 reclamation projects which the PRA will complete in the next few years, and these projects are nothing but pro-big business, anti-poor and anti-environment, ” stated Pamalakaya Vice Chairperson Salvador France in a letter addressed to DENR Secretary Ramon Paje.
According to remate.ph, the Pamalakaya and 11 other groups appealed to the Supreme Court to allow them to intervene in the case filed by former Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar against the P 14-B reclamation project.
Philstar.com reports that France added: “If the DENR insists in granting ECCs, it would be accused of pushing an open invitation to economic displacement and environmental catastrophe. This across-the-Manila Bay reclamation escapade warrants DENR to refrain from enjoining PRA in pursuing these projects.”
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Dredging Today Staff, October 17, 2012