Two years into his term, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “Bagong Pilipinas” vision is well underway. His flagship infrastructure program, “Build BetterMore, has made great strides towards improving the country’s infrastructure across sectors such as health, information technology, and construction. However, even as economic growth and development accelerate, the Marcos administration has taken steps to ensure that all of its people are uplifted alongside the projects.
Armando Aquino is a fisherman. Known by many in his community as Mang Boy, he makes his livelihood primarily in the waters of Manila Bay. But as the years go on, he says, it is becoming increasingly difficult to earn a living.
The fishing industry in Manila Bay is slowly dwindling because of deep mud. But according to Mang Boy, reclamation projects have given the area new life.
“Noong nagkaroon na ng reclamation, nagulat kami! Sa amin pong obserbasyon, parang gumanda po sistema dahil nawala po ang burak. Ang mga isdang di napasok ngayon napasok po.”
“[Dati] dumarayo kami ng Las Piñas,Parañaque… hanggang Bulacan po,” he adds, explaining that due to the deep mud gathering in the seabed of Manila Bay, he and others were unable to fish. But with reclamation projects in Manila Bay quarrying in the deep mud, more fish have come to inhabit areas that Mang Boy and other fishermen had given up for dead.
Bounded by Cavite and Metro Manila in the east, Bulacan to the north, and Bataan to the west and northwest, Manila Bay constitutes one of the country’s major fishing grounds. Commercial, municipal and artisanal fisheries abound in the area; fisheries and aquaculture are major sources of livelihood for those living in and around Manila Bay, according to the Environmental Management Bureau.
Despite common misconceptions that Manila Bay is “dead,” the diversity of fish and shellfish inhabiting its waters is still enough to sustain many of the communities that call it home.
However, even the abundant marine life in the areas away from the ports may not be enough. Fishermen are among the poorest sectors in the Philippines and are especially vulnerable to climate change. With an unprecedented number of storms hitting the country year after year, fishermen working in the waters of Manila Bay may find themselves needing to work harder than usual to make ends meet.
In his first State of the Nation Address in 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. set out his goal to aggressively grow the economy to address concerns of growing poverty, hunger, and inequality. The poverty rate recorded in 2021 was 18.1%, according to ADB. President Marcos Jr. estimated that from 2023 to 2028 the poverty rate would fall to 9%.
He has kept his eyes on the goal: as of 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported a poverty incidence of 10.9%, and further projections by the national government indicate that President Marcos’s administration is well on its way to meeting its goal. Its efforts were rewarded when debt watcher, Rating and Investment Information Inc. upgraded the country’s credit rating to A-, our highest credit rating to date. Pres. Marcos noted that it reflected the confidence investors had in the Philippines’ growing economy.
However, in the race towards progress, certain sectors can be overlooked. While reclamation activities in Manila Bay, such as the Pasay Harbor City Reclamation Project, are projected to bring tax revenue that national and local government units can then pour into development projects, affected communities may have immediate concerns about their livelihoods that can already be addressed by government agencies.
The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) is one such agency. As the designated agency for all reclamation activities in the Philippines, the PRA is committed not just to ensuring the proper, legal implementation of reclamation projects, but also to safeguard the interests of people like Mang Boy.
Through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the PRA collaborates with community leaders to develop Social Development Management Programs (SDMPs) tailored to fulfill community needs that are not being met. Programs can involve addressing short-term needs such as a lack of housing, materials for fishing, or school supplies for their children.
The PRA, likewise conducts law enforcement training programs or provides livelihood projects in order to foster community resilience and adaptability for the future. It also works hand-in-hand with its public and private partners to ensure its SDMPs can thrive.
In the Manila Bay area, the agency works with Pasay local government units and its private partner, SM Prime Holdings Inc., to provide alternative livelihoods for affected fishermen as coastal cleaners and mangrove caretakers.
Archie Aquino, a former fisherman turned coastal cleaner for the Pasay Harbor Reclamation Project, shares: “Nadagdagan po ang kita namin. Bukod po sa pangingisda, nabigyan kami ng trabaho sa LGU ng Pasay, ng Pasay City Harbor, SM, at China Harbor. Dahil nabigyan ng trabaho miyembro ko natuwa po sila lahat.”
“May sweldong 17k a month kada isa. Napakalaking tulong po dahil alternatibong trabaho siya at napakakaunti na lang po ng huli sa pangingisda.”
In addition to providing alternative livelihoods, the PRA also provides scholarships for children of fisherfolk who wish to complete their studies, setting families up for a brighter future.
Mark Angelo Francisco, a 23-year-old student at Cavite State University, shares that his family has been struggling to provide all of their daily needs, but with the help of the Philippine Reclamation Authority’s SDMP scholarship program, he has been able to pursue his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology, majoring in welding and fabrication technology.
“Panganay po ako sa aming apat na magkakapatid. Ako na lang po ang nag-aaral sa amin dahil po sa hirap ng buhay, dahil po ang aking magulang ay isa lamang mangingisda. Sa madaling salita po minsan po walang mahuli sa dagat… Naka-base lang po sa kung ano lang po and bigay ng Maykapal.”
“Malaking tulong po sa akin ng scholarship na ipagkakaloob niyo po sa [akin] dahil po gagamitin ko po ‘yung pera sa gastos sa school,” Mark continues, adding that he plans to use the scholarship money to fund his thesis and other school-related expenses.
According to him, part of his academic program requires him to create a prototype, and materials can get expensive. “Maraming salamat po. Isa po ako sa mga napasama sa tulong educational assistance.”
Through its SDMPs, the Philippine Reclamation Authority is able to ensure that affected communities, the PRA, together with its partners, commit to uplifting all sectors of society under President Marcos Jr.’s vision of a “Bagong Pilipinas.”
President Marcos Jr. himself affirmed that commitment earlier this year. Speaking at a presentation of the signed Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Joint Memorandum Circular, he told assembled officials, “We have yet to achieve zero hunger. But your dedication to this mission assures me that we are all united in this effort, ready to build a better nation for all, especially for those who need it the most.” (Radyo Pilipinas)
