AGHAM – Advocates of Science and Technology for the People demands President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to publicly release a written suspension order against reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
“While we welcome the verbal suspension of all reclamation projects in Manila Bay, we continue to call on the Marcos administration to issue a written suspension order,” said Jerwin Baure, public information officer of AGHAM. “This written suspension order will ensure the immediate suspension of reclamation projects. Despite the verbal announcement from Marcos last week, dredging activities related to reclamation still continue as reported by fisherfolk members of PAMALAKAYA in Cavite last weekend.”
“AGHAM fully welcomes the suspension and review of all reclamation projects,” continued Baure. “However, we continue to assert that the review should involve affected communities and civil society organizations, who have knowledge about the issue, in addition to natural and social scientists to be tapped by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. For our part, AGHAM has been doing socio-ecological impact assessments in some communities affected by reclamation. We will be glad to join efforts in assessing cumulative impacts as an independent third party.”
AGHAM hopes that the ongoing review of reclamation projects in Manila Bay will pave the way for the review of existing environmental laws related to reclamation and other similar projects in the country. “AGHAM will continue working with other sectors in eventually stopping these destructive projects,” ended Baure. ###
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