As the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) conducts a cumulative effect assessment on the Manila Bay reclamation projects, the Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said on Wednesday that businesses must take into account the “Big One” and the potential of tsunamis in the project.
In a Palace briefing, Yulo-Loyzaga said sea level rise and diverse geological occurrences “need to be considered” due to the Manila Trench near Manila Bay.
For context, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the Philippines is vulnerable to tsunamis due to offshore faults and trenches.
“We have what is called the Manila Trench. It is located in Manila Bay. That is the geological event we are looking at in terms of the generation of a potential tsunami. So far, I have not seen it in the studies submitted by the proponents,” the DENR chief said.
“On the geological hazards: So far, what I have observed in terms of the studies I have examined for reclamation projects is the reference to the 7.2 magnitude movement of the West Valley Fault,” Yulo-Loyzaga added.
She pointed out that the developers involved in the Manila Bay reclamation project should consider sea level rise because of the extraction of groundwater from the coastal areas of the area.
Yulo-Loyzaga added that the “Big One,” if it strikes Metro Manila, may hinder relief efforts because it may “generate some movement in the waters.
Yulo-Loyzaga mentioned that air and marine transportation was intended for rescue and relief efforts if a 7.2 magnitude earthquake happens.
“You can search up ‘Oplan Metro Yakal Plus’ to see how reclamation projects might affect that plan,” she said.
But Loyzaga cited certain advantages of some reclamation from an economic standpoint.
This is why a cost-benefit analysis is crucial when determining how something will affect the environment. To accomplish this, the DENR is currently working on a cumulative impact assessment on reclamation projects, primarily composed of Filipino scientists.
She had earlier stated that they were checking the compliance of the ongoing initiatives. According to the Philippine Reclamation Authority, there are 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay.