BY VANNE ELAINE P. TERRAZOLA
The rehabilitation of the Manila Bay should go beyond beautification as thousands of fisherfolks depend on the coastal area for their livelihood, Senator Cynthia Villar said on Monday.
In a statement following the observation of the International Day of Coastal Cleanup, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources pointed out that efforts to clean up the Manila Bay is not only aimed at beautifying it.
“Ang rehabilitasyon ng Manila Bay ay hindi lamang para sa beautification. Napakaimportante na ma-preserve and biodiversity dito dahil maraming kabuhayan ang naka-depende dito. Umaasa sa fish supply ng Manila Bayang may 300,000 na mangingisda,” Villar said.
She said “we still have a long way to go before we restore the bay to its pristine condition” since the issuance of the December, 2008, Supreme Court mandamus which compelled government agencies and local government units to clean up and rehabilitate Manila Bay.
She said the growing number of volunteers and partner organizations should be recognized for the strides made in the rehabilitation efforts.
“Natutuwa ako dahil mas marami na tayo ngayong volunteers and partners sa ating clean up and mangrove planting activities in Manila Bay. Marami sa kanila ang hindi tumitigil sa paglilinis kahit may pandemya,” she said.
Villar has been taking part in the efforts to rehabilitate Manila Bay. In coordination with the Department of Health, she had initiated a project in Baseco Compound to build toilet facilities for the residents and address the problem of open defecation in the area.
