00:00 The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has presented its budget proposal
00:04 for the next fiscal year to the lower house.
00:07 The agency also addressed the issue regarding the measures to be undertaken in relation
00:11 to the Manila Bay reclamation projects.
00:13 Mela Lasmora tells us the details.
00:16 During today's deliberations of the House Committee on Appropriations on the proposed
00:23 2024 budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, DENR Secretary Tony
00:29 Yulo Laisaga firmly responded to the allegations that their agency allegedly neglected Manila
00:35 Bay as a result of the various reclamation projects.
00:38 Recently, President Ferdinand R. Marquez, Jr. himself ordered the suspension of the
00:43 aforementioned projects in Manila Bay pending a review on their clients with environmental
00:48 regulations and its impact.
00:50 "Mr. Chair, it's clear that DENR as an agency has failed in the past in taking care
00:58 of Manila Bay.
00:59 That's why we can't just proceed without acknowledging our errors in the past.
01:04 So if I may strongly suggest to DENR, Mr. Chair, we should have sanctions on the involved
01:13 and the signatories."
01:14 "There are 13 other mandamus agencies that are part of the Supreme Court ruling and there
01:21 are local government units that are actually the proponents of these different reclamation
01:27 projects.
01:28 The DENR cannot be held solely responsible for any failures in terms of protecting the
01:33 coastal ecosystem.
01:34 This is a whole of society job and it must be the whole of government that will be involved
01:41 in preserving our environment."
01:42 As of now, the DENR assured the public it is working hard on the issue and if there
01:47 are people or groups found liable, appropriate penalties or sanctions will be meted out.
01:53 "If there were misdeeds, if there were any kind of infraction in terms of the rules,
02:01 we will certainly be able to look into possible sanctions.
02:05 However, at this point, our emphasis is really on reviewing the ECCs and their conditions,
02:11 of which Mr. Chair, I have to say there are many and substantive conditions that are actually
02:17 positive in terms of environmental management."
02:20 Secretary Loizada added setting a meeting for today on the Cumulative Impact Assessment
02:25 on Manila Bay reclamation projects.
02:28 "So the intention of the suspension for review is to actually conduct what is called the
02:34 Cumulative Impact Assessment, which means that instead of evaluating each and every
02:39 project proposal individually, there will now be an effort to create a situation or
02:47 a scenario wherein all these reclamation projects will actually occur and what impact that would
02:55 be on the baseline condition of Manila Bay as we know it today."
03:01 For the fiscal year 2024, the DENR is asking for a 24.57 billion peso budget.
03:07 Despite some controversies, several lawmakers showed support to the DENR and their efforts
03:13 for the country.
03:14 "Let us acknowledge and support the vital role that the DENR plays as we collectively
03:19 strive to be responsible stewards of our planet."
03:23 Melales Moras for the Nation.
