Lawyers buck bay reclamation

The Philippine Bar Association supports the opposition of the bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Manila, led by Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, to the proposed Manila Bay Reclamation Project on scientific, legal and moral grounds. There are scientific findings that the project poses serious geological hazards arising from worsening floods and high tide invasions, surges and storm waves from passing typhoons; and liquefaction during earthquakes that could destroy buildings in coastal areas.

The National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, which reserves the Manila Bay area for National Park purposes, makes it a protected area for conservation and protection. Presidential Proclamation No. 41, which was issued by President Ramon Magsaysay in 1954, declares the area a “National Park.”

The Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area is included in the Ramsar list of “Wetlands of International Importance.” The Philippines, a signatory to the Ramsar Convention of 1994, agreed to include wetland conservation in its national land use planning, and committed to implement and promote the wise use of wetlands in its territory. It bears noting that the 1987 Constitution protects the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accordance with the rhythm and harmony of nature.

In pursuance thereof, our Supreme Court, in a landmark decision on Dec. 18, 2008, ruled that the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology is as clear as the duty of the government to protect and advance that right. The Court also enunciated the principle that this generation has the obligation to ensure the protection of that right for the generations to come.

—BEDA G. FAJARDO, president, Philippine Bar Association