Navotas Fishers Renew Fight Against Manila Bay Reclamation

On a day meant to celebrate the world's oceans, the fisherfolk of Navotas had a different message: save what is left of Manila Bay before it is too late.

Marking World Oceans Day on June 8, members of Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) gathered at C4 Centennial Park to protest ongoing reclamation projects in the bay. Their plea is straightforward: uphold the suspension ordered by the national government and protect the kabuhayan (livelihood) of coastal communities that depend on the sea.

A Suspension Under Pressure

In 2023, the Marcos administration ordered a suspension of reclamation activities in Manila Bay, a move widely welcomed by environmental advocates and fishing communities. Yet two years later, fisherfolk say the promise of that suspension remains unfulfilled.

PAMALAKAYA accused the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) of working to resume at least two reclamation projects in the bay, despite the standing order. Fernando Hicap, national chair of the group, did not mince words.

Nagkukumahog ang PRA na magpatuloy ang reklamasyon at binabalewala ang umiiral na suspensyon at ang pag-aaral ng mga eksperto kaugnay sa masamang dulot nito. Hindi natapos ang pinsalang dulot ng reklamasyon sa kabuhayan ng maraming mangingisda sa Manila Bay.

The PRA is scrambling to push reclamation forward while disregarding the existing suspension and the findings of experts on their harmful impacts. The damage to fisherfolk livelihoods in Manila Bay has not ended, Hicap stressed. He also linked widespread flooding in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces to these projects.

For an administration that has shown willingness to balance development with environmental stewardship, the actions of the PRA raise uncomfortable questions. If the executive order stands, why are agencies working around it?

The Navotas Project and Its Toll

At the center of the protest is the 650-hectare Navotas Coastal Bay Reclamation Project, a joint undertaking by San Miguel Corp. and the Navotas City local government. Promoted as a mixed-use development with socialized housing, commercial areas and public infrastructure, the project has been framed as a key gateway to the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan.

But for fisherfolk, the cost has been immediate and painful. Since 2024, mussel farms and fishing structures have been dismantled to make way for reclamation work. Romel Escarial, president of PAMALAKAYA-Navotas, spoke of the hunger now facing his community.

Higit dalawang taon nang halos walang makain ang aming mga pamilya buhat nang tanggalin ang aming mga tahungan dahil sa reklamasyon. Dapat ibalik ang pangunasing kabuhayan sa dagat at tuluyan nang ipatigil ang mga mapanirang proyektong ito.

For more than two years, families have had little to eat after their mussel farms were removed. Their primary livelihood from the sea must be restored, and these destructive projects must be stopped once and for all, Escarial said.

The group estimates that the dismantling of more than 200 mussel farms and fishing structures could affect at least 1,000 small-scale fishers, fish workers and operators of stationary fish traps.

What the Science Says

The fisherfolk's concerns are not mere sentiment. A cumulative impact assessment commissioned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), released in 2025, found significant environmental and socioeconomic risks tied to reclamation in Manila Bay.

The study examined 21 reclamation projects in various stages of development around the bay, which together could create approximately 6,100 hectares of new land, an area nearly equivalent to the combined land area of Manila and Marikina.

Among the key findings:

• Reclamation disrupts natural water circulation and weakens water exchange.
• Sediments, pollutants and debris accumulate as a result.
• Critical habitats such as mangroves, which serve as natural barriers against storm surges and coastal erosion, are damaged.
• Fishing grounds are reduced, threatening the livelihood of small-scale fishers.

Scientists warned that these changes could worsen flooding and degrade water quality across the bay and surrounding areas.

Manila Bay: Still Alive, Still Productive

Despite the pressures, the DENR-backed study confirmed what fisherfolk already know from daily experience: Manila Bay remains an active and productive fishing ground.

From April to October 2024, fisherfolk recorded average catches of 2 to 4 kilograms per hour, higher than the 1 to 2 kilograms per hour recorded in several other fishing areas surveyed by researchers.

The bay spans about 199,400 hectares and supports more than 50 species of fish and at least eight species of shellfish. It is also an important spawning area for sardines and one of the country's major fishing grounds for small-scale operators.

This is a resource that feeds the nation. The question is whether short-term development gains justify the long-term loss of a fishery that sustains thousands of families across the archipelago.

A Call for Steady Leadership

PAMALAKAYA and environmental groups have repeatedly called for Manila Bay to be declared a reclamation-free zone. They warn that dozens of approved and proposed projects could affect tens of thousands of hectares of fishing grounds and coastal habitats.

The group also pointed to other projects moving forward despite the suspension, including a reclamation project in Bacoor City, Cavite.

For the fisherfolk of Navotas, World Oceans Day was not a celebration. It was a panawagan, a call to the government to stand by its own suspension order, protect marine ecosystems and safeguard the communities that depend on the sea.

The Marcos administration took a bold and necessary step in suspending reclamation in 2023. The challenge now is ensuring that the order is enforced, not eroded by agencies acting on their own. The sea feeds the nation. It deserves steady protection, not half measures.