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Massive, irreversible damage: Sen. Risa Hontiveros quizzes officials of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) about their approval of reclamation projects despite their impacts to the environment and the communities. During the inquiry conducted by the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change on large-scale land reclamations being undertaken across the Philippines, Hontiveros cited the reported destruction of coral reefs in the West Philippine Sea amid the country's territorial dispute with China. She flagged anew the participation of China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCC) in local reclamation projects, noting that the state-run firm had been involved in the construction of China's artificial islands in Philippine waters. Reclamation projects, she said, also threaten the livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk. "Reckless undertaking reclamation projects can cause massive and irreversible damage to marine ecosystems, such as the one caused by China in our own waters," the Senate Deputy Minority Leader said on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)