President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he will not allow “massive reclamation” projects by the private sector in Manila Bay as the entire Manila City would be in peril.

During his speech at Sangley Airport, Cavite, Duterte, however, said he may allow government projects at Manila Bay.

“There is one important thing that I’d like to make it clear now… Not during my time. I will only allow maybe plans of whatever reclamation if it is in connection with a government project. I will not allow massive reclamation for the private sector. Not now. Because if I --- if you approve one, you approve all,” he said.

“Government projects maybe, except for those already approved… That is why I get the (Philippine) Reclamation Authority. I got it back because I heard that everybody was lobbying for it and it came to my --- attention that we have this project and every Tom, Dick, and Harry in town was following up. I said no… No --- no reclamation. You wait until the next president who would be --- they would look --- they might look at it kindly at a different lens,” Duterte said.

In February last year, Duterte issued Executive Order No. 74 transferring the power to approve reclamation projects back to PRA and placed it under the Office of the President.

The President also urged the next administration to study reclamation projects in Manila Bay very well.

“The entire Manila City would be environmentally at peril. So study it well. For the next administration, whoever gets to be the president of this country, study it very carefully. Because that Manila there, that old city is an old city and it will decay if you add so many things in front of Manila Bay,” Duterte said.

In a television interview last month, Duterte said he has not approved any reclamation project and would not give a green light to any project under his term after it was reported that there were 25 offers to reclaim up to 10,000 hectares of Manila Bay from Navotas City to Cavite.

It was also reported that the PRA has approved four projects which include the Navotas City Coastal Bay Reclamation Project; the 360-hectare Pasay Reclamation Project; the 265-hectare Pasay Reclamation Project, and the 418-hectare Horizon Manila Reclamation Project. Ella Dionisio/DMS