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The Manila Bay Area Environmental Atlas: Enhancing the Visibility of Actions and Impacts

Last modified May 07, 2009

Presented to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was a copy of the Manila Bay Environmental Atlas during a meeting at Malacañan on 12 March 2009. The Manila Bay Area (MBA) Environmental Atlas provides a relevant source of information necessary in policy formulation, planning, decision-making, monitoring, integrated river basin and coastal area management, and in particular, the implementation of the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy.

The Atlas was developed by the Manila Bay Environmental Management Project (MBEMP), which was implemented through the concerted efforts of various national government agencies, local government units, academic institutions, the private sector and civil society groups, with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) serving as the lead agency, in partnership with PEMSEA.

The Atlas is one of the key tools that are available for fulfilling the Manila Bay vision - a clean, safe, wholesome and productive ecosystem for the present and future generations.

The Atlas presents several recommendations in support of the sustainable development of the MBA, including the replication of integrated coastal management (ICM) programs in all coastal provinces/LGUs in Manila Bay, the development of a sea-use zoning and the integration of the management programs for Manila Bay, Pasig River and Laguna de Bay.

Three provinces in the Manila Bay area - Bataan, Cavite and Batangas - already serve as examples of good ICM practice, which support the implementation of Executive Order No. 533, a policy adopting ICM as a national strategy to ensure sustainable development of the country’s coastal and marine environment and resources. Bataan’s partnership with the private sector, through the Bataan Coastal Care Foundation, also provides a good example of sustainable financing of the ICM program, and sharing of resources and skills in order to achieve on-the-ground improvements in the restoration and protection of coastal and marine resources.

The challenges and opportunities of the Manila Bay Area, as presented by the Atlas and other key reports and publications, will be one of the highlights of the East Asian Seas Congress 2009 that will be held on 23-27 November in Manila. In particular, the Conference will feature the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum that will focus on Coastal and Marine Area and the Sustainable Development of Manila Bay. The Forum is designed to provide the business sector a venue to review and evaluate their contribution to the rehabilitation of Manila Bay and explore possible commitments for the sustainable development of Manila Bay.

To learn more about the EAS Congress 2009, contact the EASC Secretariat at congress@pemsea.org or eascongress@gmail.com. Please also visit www.pemsea.org/eascongress.