Think tank warns seafront recla to destroy marine life

CEBU, Philippines —  A study conducted by a Cebu-based think tank revealed that reclamation projects along the coastal areas of Cebu will cause irreversible damage.

Dr. Filipina Sotto, project leader of FBS-Environment and Community Research and Development Services, said “should the reclamation project continue as it is, the damage to our marine biodiversity will be irreversible.”

This, after a study was conducted specifically focused on the environmental hazards of the proposed 235.80-hectare reclamation project pushed by Consolacion LGU and its partner, La Consolacion Seafront Development Corporation (LCSDC).

“The loss of our natural resources will also harm the poor the most, such as the fisherfolk who rely on the sea for their income and sustenance,” she added.

In the think tank’s study, Dr. Sotto said her team found 75 species of corals in Consolacion. She also found out that fisherfolk from the neighboring towns of Consolacion still go to the proposed reclamation area for their livelihood, contrary to the LGU’s claims that there are no more people who fish in the area.

The study also stated that 500 fisherfolk from Consolacion, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Liloan will lose their livelihood if the reclamation project pushes through. Dr. Sotto also said seven mangrove species can be found in the proposed reclamation site.

“The destruction of corals will harm aquatic animals because they will lose habitat and source of food. For people who live near the seas, corals and mangroves are important because they form barriers that weaken the impact of sea waves,” Sotto explained.

Without them, these people are more vulnerable to strong floods,” she noted.

According to Sotto, quarrying — or the extraction of minerals from the ground for reclamation — will also worsen environmental issues in Consolacion.

“Quarrying is required to get the gravel and sand needed to complete the reclamation project. However, in the long run, the foundation of the lands in the quarrying area will get weaker. This increases the risk of landslides occurring in Consolacion during the rainy season,” she pointed out.

Other natural resources that could be destroyed by the reclamation project include 51 species of macro benthic invertebrates and 7 species of mangroves that are nursery grounds supporting the fishery in Cansaga Bay, according to the study. These are organisms that  live on the bottom of a water body such as the sea.

The environmental expert also raised doubts about the land the Consolacion LGU and LCSDC want to reclaim for the project.

“The reclaimed lands will likely collapse since these are natural mudflat terrains, which do not have stable soil foundations,” Sotto said, adding that “these are also prone to liquefaction, a phenomenon where soil loses strength and stiffness. In other words, the LGU and LCDSC will likely lose the money they are investing in because Seafront City may crumble one day.

Sotto also added that according to their study, a water sampling test revealed that the waters around the shipyards did not pose a threat to the marine ecosystem.

“In contrast, pursuing the reclamation project will kill our aquatic resources because gravel and sand will be dumped in the reclamation site,” the environmental expert said.

 Instead of pursuing the Seafront City reclamation project, Dr. Sotto is calling on the Consolacion LGU to plant mangroves.

“Mangroves protect communities from floods and storm surges. Given that Consolacion is vulnerable to flooding in general, enhancing the presence of mangroves must be considered to protect the residents,” she concluded.

The FBS-Environment and Community Research and Development Services is a think tank dedicated to increasing public awareness and engagement on environmental issues. It is composed of environmental experts who aim to support public policy-making with data-driven analyses.