(FILE PHOTO) Members of the fisherfolk group Pamalakaya stage a protest at the main office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in August 2022. The group is part of a coalition that has written Environment Secretary Toni Yulo Loyzaga urging her to reject all reclamation projects at Manila Bay. Philippine Daily Inquirer/Niño Jesus Orbeta
MANILA, Philippines — Just days after clinching her Environment Secretary position, Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga is under pressure from a progressive fisherfolk alliance to make good on her mandate by rejecting all ongoing and planned reclamation projects in Manila Bay.
Yulo-Loyzaga, a known climate change advocate and appointed chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), was greenlighted by the Commission on Appointments.
READ: CA confirms DENR’s Yulo-Loyzaga, DOT’s Frasco appointments
The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Thursday hoped she would push climate disaster resilience through policy measures.
“Now, with nothing to worry about, Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga should finally perform her mandate of protecting the environment against any form of destructive and profit-driven projects,” Pamalakaya National Chairperson Fernando Hicap said in a statement.
Pamalakaya has asked the DENR to investigate the destruction of mussel farms and stationary fish traps for a reclamation project in Navotas City, which, according to the group, “is behind the destruction of productive fishing structures” in a portion of the bay.
READ: Pamalakaya to DENR: Stop’ destructive’ Manila Bay reclamation projects
Hicap said Pamalakaya asked DENR for help with these reclamation projects, but the department hasn’t responded.
“Wala pa kaming nakukuhang tugon sa DENR kaugnay sa kasong inilapit namin sa kanila. Pinapaalalahanan lamang namin si Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga na malaki ang pananagutan ng kanyang ahensya na pinamumunuan kapag namayagpag pa ang mga mapanirang reklamasyon sa Manila Bay at karagatan ng buong bansa,” he added.
(DENR hasn’t responded to our cases. We warn Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga that her agency will be responsible if harmful reclamation projects continue in Manila Bay and other Philippine seas.)
Hicap urged Yulo-Loyzaga to continue her environmental work, which is based on science and the public’s interest.
“Hamon sa kanya na pakinggan at direktang makipagtulungan sa mga mangingisda sa usapin ng tunay na rehabilitasyon at konserbasyon ng mga pook-pangisdaan at baybaying dagat,” he added.
(We challenge her to listen and directly work with the Filipino fisherfolk for an actual rehabilitation and conservation of fishing areas and coastal seas.)
More than 32,000 hectares of fishing areas will be affected by the string of reclamation projects to take place in Manila Bay, according to Pamalakaya.
The group also claimed that the 650-hectare reclamation project in Navotas will impact over 1,000 small fisherfolk and the owners of stationary fish traps and mussel farms. — Catherine Dabu, INQUIRER.net trainee
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