Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued an order suspending nearly two dozen land reclamation projects in Manila Bay to assess their environmental and social impact, according to his environment chief.
(Bloomberg) — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued an order suspending nearly two dozen land reclamation projects in Manila Bay to assess their environmental and social impact, according to his environment chief.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is looking into companies’ compliance with regulations involving reclamation, Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said in a televised briefing on Thursday, without naming the projects.
The suspension will be in effect while a government team reviews the projects, totalling about 22 and which were all approved during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The suspension comes more than a week after the American embassy in Manila, located near the Manila Bay, raised concerns that the reclamation projects in the area could harm the environment.
The embassy also flagged the involvement in some projects of China Communications Construction Co., which it said helped Beijing construct and militarize artificial islands in the South China Sea, according to CNN Philippines.
Reclamation projects in the bay include the Manila Waterfront Reclamation Project that covers 318 hectares and which is led by the family of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.
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