Press Release
October 11, 2024

Cayetano bats for DENR review of ongoing reclamation projects

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday stressed the need for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conduct a comprehensive review of ongoing reclamation projects, particularly around Manila Bay, with a focus on their ecological and engineering impact.

During the department's budget hearing for 2025 on October 10, 2024, the senator emphasized that while the DENR is responsible for environmental studies, it must also consider engineering factors.

Cayetano had raised the same issue to Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan a month ago, asking him about the role of the DPWH in reclamation projects, particularly in addressing issues like flooding.

Bonoan had answered that the DPWH primarily assesses the technical aspects of reclamation projects, ensuring these do not interfere with existing flood control systems.

Once the assessment shows no impediments, Bonoan said the DPWH issues "no objection," but this assessment is limited to the location of the reclamation.

Cayetano then proposed an interagency collaboration between DPWH and DENR in order to improve the oversight of reclamation projects and mitigate flooding risks, saying that DENR may not be technically equipped "for the engineering aspects of reclamation."

In Thursday's DENR hearing, Cayetano emphasized that the government must ensure that its actions are sustainable since it spends billions not only on reclamation but also on related infrastructure projects like the Bulacan airport.

Regarding the technical capabilities of DENR and its ability to oversee projects, he highlighted as well the importance of master planning for bodies of water, particularly in Laguna Lake, to avoid unintended consequences such as the increased crowding in Metro Manila.

Reflecting on past experiences, Cayetano noted issues with previous reclamation efforts, including flooding that led the public to blame such projects.

To address these concerns, he requested Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga to take these reclamation concerns to the Cabinet Cluster.

"We always put first the projects na economically and financially viable, then to follow na lang y'ung environmental aspect... Pero hindi naman palaging nacoconsider ang environmental aspect," he explained.

"Dapat po kasi DENR ang mauna [sa process]," he added.


Cayetano sa DENR: Suriin ang mga ginagawang reclamation project

Dapat magsagawa ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ng komprehensibong pagsusuri sa mga ginagawang reclamation projects na nakatuon sa epekto ng mga ito sa kalikasan at imprastraktura, partikular sa paligid ng Manila Bay.

Ipinunto ito ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano senador sa 2025 budget hearing ng departamento nitong October 10, 2024.

Ipinaliwanag niya na gayong ang pananagutan ng DENR ay sa mga environmental study, dapat din nitong isaalang-alang ang engineering factor.

Nauna nang inungkat ni Cayetano ang isyung ito kay Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan noong nakaraang buwan, kung saan tinanong niya ang papel ng DPWH sa mga reclamation project, partikular sa mga isyu ng pagbaha.

Ayon kay Bonoan, ang pangunahing tinutugunan ng DPWH ay ang mga teknikal na aspeto ng reclamation projects para tiyakin na hindi makakaapekto ang mga ito sa mga umiiral na sistema ng flood control.

Kapag napatunayan na walang magiging problema, nagbibigay aniya ang DPWH ng "no objection," pero ang pagsusuring ito ay limitado sa lugar ng reclamation lamang.

Iminungkahi ni Cayetano ang isang interagency collaboration sa pagitan ng DPWH at DENR upang mapabuti ang pangangasiwa sa mga proyekto ng reclamation at mabawasan ang mga panganib sa pagbaha. Aniya, maaaring hindi kakayanin ng DENR lamang ang aspeto ng engineering lalo sa reclamation.

Sa pagdinig ng DENR nitong Huwebes, sinabi ni Cayetano na dapat tiyakin ng gobyerno na sustainable ang mga aksyon nito dahil bilyon-bilyon ang ginagastos sa reclamation at sa mga kaugnay na proyektong pang-imprastraktura tulad ng Bulacan airport.

Hinggil sa mga teknikal na kakayahan ng DENR at ang kakayahan nitong pangasiwaan ang mga proyekto, binigyang diin din ni Cayetano ang kahalagahan ng master planning, partikular sa Laguna Lake, upang maiwasan ang mga hindi inaasahang epekto tulad ng pagdami ng populasyon sa Metro Manila.

Binanggit din ni Cayetano ang mga isyu sa mga nakaraang reclamation, kabilang ang pagbaha na naging dahilan upang sisihin ng publiko ang mga naturang proyekto.

Upang matugunan ang mga alalahaning ito, hiniling ng senador kay Environment ang Natural Resources Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga na dalhin ang mga alalahanin tungkol sa reclamation sa Gabinete.

"We always put first the projects na economically and financially viable, then to follow na lang y'ung environmental aspect... Pero hindi naman palaging nacoconsider ang environmental aspect," paliwanag ng senador.

"Dapat po kasi DENR ang mauna [sa process]," dagdag niya.

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