ALKFI chair Gina Lopez and Manila Hotel’s Joey Lina in a lighthearted moment during the meeting for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay
Plans are under way to include Manila Bay in the rehabilitation of Metro Manila’s waterways under the Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig project of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. (ALKFI, formerly ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.), with the help of public and private stakeholders.
ALKFI chair Gina Lopez recently met with private stakeholders along Manila Bay to discuss the short-term and long-term plans for the rehabilitation. In the meeting, Lopez cited a memorandum of agreement she signed in 2008 with then Environment Sec. Lito Atienza to comanage the rehabilitation of the Pasig River, Manila Bay and Laguna de Bay.
Lopez was joined by officials from the City of Manila and former Senator Joey Lina, who is now the president of Manila Hotel.
“Manila Bay is the end of the Pasig River and there's a backflow. So if we don't clean Manila Bay, the gunk there is just going to go to the Pasig River. So the whole thing has to be clean,” said Lopez.
Lopez also showed photos of a recent ocular she had along Manila Bay with the Philippine Navy, including Parola in Tondo, Manila.
“Parola is also one of the main reasons the bay is dirty. It's because there are a hundred thousand households living here. And I said, ‘Where are we going to relocate all these people?’ So this is our game plan—we're going to put them in medium rises,” Lopez explained.
ALKFI chair Gina Lopez (standing left) discusses Manila Bay rehab plans with private stakeholders, including representatives from The Aristocrat restaurant, Cherry Mobile, Diamond Hotel, Ermita-Malate Business Owners Association, Hotel H2O, Hyatt Regency Hotel & Casino Manila, Manila Broadcasting Corporation-DZRH, Pan Pacific Manila and the US EmbassyThe short-term plans include cleanups, training of Bay Warriors, construction of a materials recovery facility and a solid waste management information campaign. Long-term plans include addressing the source of solid wastes that wash up along the bay and relocation of informal settlers.
The plans will be finalized by the first quarter of 2014 after further meetings with public and private stakeholders. (Story and photos by Faizza Tanggol)