HAGONOY, Bulacan – Dutch Ambassador to the Philippines recommended the closure of Manila Bay to save Manila and surrounding provinces from sea water rise brought by climate change.
However, Raphael Lotilla of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas in East Asia (Pemsea) said shutting down the Manila Bay will have great economic consequences as the Manila Bay region contributes about half to the total gross national product (GNP).
Speaking hundreds of participants to the first Inter-LGU Forum on Tidal Flooding in this coastal town last week, Ambassador Robert Brinks cited centuries of experience of the Netherlands in building dikes that prevented their cities and communities from sea water rise.
He presented maps of the Netherlands showing dikes they built on rivers, lakes and sea gulfs to prevent sea water from invading Dutch coastal communities.
This include Amsterdam, the Dutch capital city, which at present is six meters below sea level but continue to thrive as and remain safe from floods.
Brinks said that there is a bigger chance of saving Manila and other communities on the coast of Manila Bay if it would be closed.
“If you would close this, you would not have to depend this to some sort of tsunami turn in the next 500 years, he said while showing the map of the Manila Bay and pointing on the rocky island of Corregidor.
But knowing Manila is home to a number of sea ports, Brinks added, “but you have to find a new place for a harbor.”
He said that if a dam is built from Cavite to Bataan through Corregidor, and water on the Manila Bay is pump out, coastal communities can reclaim lands on the coastline and build industrial sites and airport, like they did in the Netherlands.
Brinks also stressed that the dam will save communities along the coastline of the Manila Bay from the impacts of sea water rise brought by climate change.
Presenting another map of Manila and Central Luzon, he showed projected impact of two to six meter high sea water rise.
It showed that when sea water rose to six meters, no one can drive through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as it will be inundated along with nearby communities.
“If that happens, we will have climate refugees as more people will move to higher ground,” Brinks warned.
He added that emergence of climate refugees will have social and economic impact on the region and the nation as people will then compete for scarce resources.
For his part, Lotilla said Brinks recommendations are notable, but he also noted that the Manila Bay Region from Central Luzon to Metro Manila down to Southern Tagalog or Region IV-A contributes at least 50 percent to the country’s total GDP.
He said that the three region’s agriculture, fishery and forestry share to the GDP is at least 29 percent or equivalent to P50-billion.
On the industry sector, the Manila Bay region share to GDP is 60 percent or P226-billion; while on services sector, the Manila Bay region’s share to GDP is 59 percent or P322-B in gross value added (GVA).
However, Raphael Lotilla of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas in East Asia (Pemsea) said shutting down the Manila Bay will have great economic consequences as the Manila Bay region contributes about half to the total gross national product (GNP).
Speaking hundreds of participants to the first Inter-LGU Forum on Tidal Flooding in this coastal town last week, Ambassador Robert Brinks cited centuries of experience of the Netherlands in building dikes that prevented their cities and communities from sea water rise.
He presented maps of the Netherlands showing dikes they built on rivers, lakes and sea gulfs to prevent sea water from invading Dutch coastal communities.
This include Amsterdam, the Dutch capital city, which at present is six meters below sea level but continue to thrive as and remain safe from floods.
Brinks said that there is a bigger chance of saving Manila and other communities on the coast of Manila Bay if it would be closed.
“If you would close this, you would not have to depend this to some sort of tsunami turn in the next 500 years, he said while showing the map of the Manila Bay and pointing on the rocky island of Corregidor.
But knowing Manila is home to a number of sea ports, Brinks added, “but you have to find a new place for a harbor.”
He said that if a dam is built from Cavite to Bataan through Corregidor, and water on the Manila Bay is pump out, coastal communities can reclaim lands on the coastline and build industrial sites and airport, like they did in the Netherlands.
Brinks also stressed that the dam will save communities along the coastline of the Manila Bay from the impacts of sea water rise brought by climate change.
Presenting another map of Manila and Central Luzon, he showed projected impact of two to six meter high sea water rise.
It showed that when sea water rose to six meters, no one can drive through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as it will be inundated along with nearby communities.
“If that happens, we will have climate refugees as more people will move to higher ground,” Brinks warned.
He added that emergence of climate refugees will have social and economic impact on the region and the nation as people will then compete for scarce resources.
For his part, Lotilla said Brinks recommendations are notable, but he also noted that the Manila Bay Region from Central Luzon to Metro Manila down to Southern Tagalog or Region IV-A contributes at least 50 percent to the country’s total GDP.
He said that the three region’s agriculture, fishery and forestry share to the GDP is at least 29 percent or equivalent to P50-billion.
On the industry sector, the Manila Bay region share to GDP is 60 percent or P226-billion; while on services sector, the Manila Bay region’s share to GDP is 59 percent or P322-B in gross value added (GVA).
