Senator Cynthia Villar on Monday said that President Rodrigo Duterte’s repeated opposition against the Manila Bay reclamation indicates how the government remains true to its commitment to rehabilitate and protect the bay.
Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, noted that in various times during his public address briefing the people on the state of the country under quarantine, the President has said that he will not allow the Manila Bay reclamation even in the face of the urgent need to fund the COVID-19 pandemic response.
She also noted that the President has advised private individuals lobbying for these reclamation projects to wait for the next presidency.
“Going into the new normal, there are a lot of things that will have to cease to exist but I am glad the policies that will help us achieve our goals for the preservation of our biodiversity, especially the protection and the rehabilitation of Manila Bay will continue,” Villar said. Macon