032-i. Advisory review: projects in Manila Bay - Philippines

The NCEA issued an advice on three projects for integrated coastal zone development in the Wider Manila Bay area. The NCEA makes recommendations on the implementation of two of the three proposed projects. Concerning the third proposed project, the NCEA calls attention to specific environmental and social problems that the project may cause.

Advisory reports and other documents

Significant details

In collaboration with the Dutch goverment, the Government of the Philippines indicated its interest in a number of projects for integrated coastal zone development in Wider Manila Bay area. Three project proposals were elaborated by Dutch and Philippine institutes. Before giving financial support, the governments wanted to assess the environmental relevance and quality of the proposed activities. The Netherlands Embassy in Manila requested the NCEA to advise in this case, with the following objectives:

• To assess the relevance of these projects from an environmental point of view;
• To assess the quality of available documents regarding these projects;
• To advise on prioritisation and sequence of the activities.

The NCEA established a working group and visited the three project sites, during which it discussed the projects with relevant authorities and non-governmental organisations. It issued an advisory report in which it focued on the review criteria of environmental relevance, feasibility and effectiveness, and institutional aspects. Main recommendations in the advice were:

• To adapt the Laguna de Bay project ToR and to establishment an independent advisory panel for evaluation of infrastructural works;
• To execute the Guidelines development project with inclusion of guidelines on EIA for land reclamation, and information on good practice in land reclamation;
• To consider as an alternative, a more limited execution of the project, involving only one of three activities in the third, combined project proposal (only the Geoscience aspect, and only in Lingayen Gulf instead of Manila Bay).

In addition, the NCEA advised on phasing of the selected projects.

Parties involved

Members of the working group

Chair: Dick de Zeeuw
Technical secretary: Arend Kolhoff

Proponent and Component Authority

Further details

Country: Philippines (The)

Last modified: 03 Sep 2019