AN independent lawmaker on Sunday said he ',wholly

.Presj dent _Rodrigo "Rodf Duterte,s stron!

supports"
stance againsl dre reclamation ofl00 equare kilometeri
of Manila Bay, warning that the reciamation would
deshoy vital coastal ecosyatetrs at a time when the
national capital iegion is reeling from high fish prices
amtd dectrning hafveata,
"The
l ne propos€d
proposed reclamabon
reclamation proiects kom from the Drivale
tor dc
sectorarejust
)ELLUT are Jusr lreanr ro
iusl meant to creae
create larse hacts ot
large tracts
rarge kacts of va
valuadle
lrluabl
r a new
land dnd wealth for some oligarcf,s out there, at the
expense of the envircnment,tt said
lhe mvimnment said Atierua,
Atienza. former
term mavor of Manila-
"The# unwanted prolects are bound to wipe ou t enthe
ecosystems, flrther degrade Manita Bay,s water quality
and disrupt the food chain in a big wair,', Atienzi, ond-
time Secretary of Eneironment ani Nitural Resources,
said.
"Once destroyed,_these underwaber biological com-
munities and their physical mvironment cari never be
recovered. They will be gone forever if the projects are
allowed to push throuqh,-" edmza saia.
'14'hat is the point of rehabilitatinR Manila Bav if the
govemmmt is just going to allow private-develobers to
bulldoze entire reef arcas?" Atienza atked)

t th€ environment will be oxrtected-"

_ tn
lrl reDruary-tast
February lasi year,
l9ar, Duierte
Duterte stripped the Natiooal
Natioaal
Economlc uevelopdrent Authoriw(NEDAI of the tower
to apFove reclamation projects dnd hansfen€d it'to the
r.Nxpprne t&clamation Authority, which he also put
directly under his officc.

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