Suspension of reclamation projects

the ghosts of this month, so all I will safely state is this: If 25 percent brokens are now retailing at P42-44 per kilo, and not the P25 variety that Kadiwa stores scarcely sell these days, expect the medium-grade well-milled rice which we now buy at P55 per kilo (up from 50 last June), to reach P60-65 per kilo before the next harvest.

And as I always state in this space: pray that there are no strong typhoons come September (at or around the anniversary of martial law) when the ghost month is over, or October and early November.

Let me just enumerate some of the most destructive typhoons that hit us in terms of lives, properties, palay and other agricultural crops:

Ondoy on September 26, 2009 (incidentally NFA’s anniversary) immediately followed a week later by Pepeng which hit Northern Luzon; Pedring again on September 26, 2011, which flooded Central Luzon just when harvest was ongoing, causing a cumulative loss in one single day of strong wind and rain, of 960,000 metric tons of palay (that’s 11.5 million sacks of rice).

Then of course everyone remembers the horrible aftermath of Yolanda, which hit Eastern Visayas on November 8, 2013, causing 6,500 deaths, and which for weeks and months haunted the government’s ability to provide relief goods (including rice).

Recall those scenes of desperate and hungry victims raiding the NFA warehouse for whatever rice they could take.

Earlier we had Sendong on December 16, 2011, where 2,500 in Northern Mindanao lost their lives, followed by Pablo a year after, with 1,900 lives lost mostly from Caraga.

Ompong in 2018 on September 15 and Goni a year and one month later, both hitting the rice producing areas of Luzon, Odette and Paeng the following years.

And just a month ago, Egay and Falcon, with relatively less impact on rice, but hit our vegetable crops, such that prices of these basic foods went double in August.

Even if a calamity does not hit our rice producing regions, DSWD and LGUs need to go to the NFA for the relief goods they bring to victims.

How do you stretch one and a half days supply?

Those days of quantitative restrictions and the NFA’s commercial role are over with the RTL having been implemented since 2019.

But for one and a half days stock of rice, every grain of rice is now in the hands of the private sector, including consumers.

Will the gods of rice exact upon the Philippines the wages of our government’s neglect of agriculture in past years, and today’s inability to act on time to avert the crisis?

Let us see. Meanwhile, the ghosts have come in. ***

Long-time Manila public servant Danny Lacuna has passed away after a distinguished career as councilor and vice-mayor of my city.

Ever the hail-fellow man with the engaging smile, ready to assist unconditionally and sincerely, Danny’s demise, after a long and lingering illness, waited until his Asenso Manileno produced two successive mayors, Isko Moreno, his protégé, and his own daughter, incumbent Mayor Honey LacunaPangan.

Our sincere condolences to the loved ones he left in this mortal world.

VARIOUS environmental groups had raised grave concern in recent years over the possible adverse impact of reclamation projects on Manila Bay.

Thus, they unanimously hailed the announcement by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on August 8 that all except one of the ongoing reclamation projects had been suspended.

“They’re all suspended. All reclamation [projects] are under review. Only one proceeded because it has already been reviewed,” the President said, apparently referring to the New Manila International Airport being built in Bulakan, Bulacan.

“There are many problems. We saw many [of the projects] are not being conducted properly... Because if they all push through, many rivers will be clogged, including the ones emptying into Manila Bay. The water will have nowhere to go. Even on Roxas Boulevard, the sea will disappear,” he explained. Environmental groups such as the Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (Agham) welcomed the President’s pronouncement, calling it “a

Environmental groups are now pushing for the government to not only extend the moratorium to all reclamation projects across the country but also permanently stop these projects victory made possible by the collective efforts of various organizations who had tirelessly campaigned against reclamation for years.” Even the US government had raised similar concerns, as their embassy located along the shoreline of Manila Bay faced the threat of flooding.

It also said one of the Chinese construction firms involved in reclamation work in Manila Bay had been blacklisted for taking part in building artificial islands with military fortifications in the South China Sea.

Data from the Philippine Reclamation Authority showed that 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay were at various stages of development when the President announced his decision to suspend nearly all reclamation within the vital body of water.

Half of these had been issued permits and are already underway.

Why is Manila Bay important?

It has been identified as a key biodiversity area by the DENR and environmental groups. Over eight species of shellfish and 50 species of fish can be found deep in the bay’s waters.

Among these wide varieties of fish species is Sardinella pacifica, a new species discovered in Manila Bay in 2019. Aside from being identified as a spawning area of sardines, Manila Bay also serves as an important habitat for millions of migratory birds from the northern hemisphere. Environmental groups are now pushing for the government to not only extend the moratorium to all reclamation projects across the country but also permanently stop these projects as “these put in peril food security, violate our constitutional rights to a healthy, balanced, safe and resilient environment and the rights of artisanal fisherfolk and coastal communities to access their fishing grounds and livelihood.”

Will the government listen to their plea?

Let’s wait and see.