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Palace says reclamation projects in Manila Bay beneficial to gov’t


Malacañang on Thursday did not see anything wrong with reclamation projects in Manila Bay to give way for various establishments, saying such activities will generate income for the government.

"When you clean up Manila Bay certainly all of us will benefit. Now with respect to reclamation, even the government will benefit from that because that will generate income to the government because of the sharing [of revenue]," presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said at a news conference, adding reclamation projects also produce jobs.

Panelo made the statement after opposition congressmen belonging to the Makabayan bloc alleged that the inter-agency campaign to clean and rehabilitate Manila Bay could be a prelude to the reclamation of 32,000-hectare coastal area for 43 infrastructure projects.

Anakpawis party-list, a member of the bloc, said the reclamation projects will displace poor communities along the bay.

Panelo assured the resettlement of thousands of informal settler families to be affected by the rehabilitation.

"We will have to find a place for resettlement and also siyempre iyong mga involved sa reclamation, they have to contribute to the solution dahil hindi naman matutuloy iyon kung nandoon sila," he said.

The Makabayan lawmakers on Tuesday filed a resolution in the House of Representatives urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to postpone the rehabilitation until a "comprehensive and holistic" study on its socioeconomic impact on marginalized sectors has been "diligently" carried out.

The resolution also asked the government to publicize its rehabilitation plan, hold public consultations among affected marginalized sectors and draft a "genuine and democratic program that will sincerely" rehabilitate Manila Bay without infringing on the basic rights and livelihood of poor communities. — RSJ, GMA News

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