In the very heart of Manila, is Manila Bay known for its beautiful sunsets.  But watching those sunsets can be heartbreaking when you look out into the water and see pollution. Yes, Manila Bay is known as one of the most polluted bodies of water in the Philippines.  Sadly, the quality of the water is very poor because a lot trash ends up there from the densely populated cities of Manila, Pasay and Paranaque and from other waterways which bring trash from other towns and cities farther away.  The Port of Manila is there and many of the historical structures like Manila Hotel, Quirino Grandstand, the Philippine International Convention Center, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and many others.  It is also the sight of important events like the visit of Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.

The Manila Bay is very important to the country and must be protected.  I remember sitting at a meeting where they discussed reclamation in Manila Bay where concerned citizens argued with government agencies about the problems that reclamation would bring.  I would think that reclamation would bring in more residences and business offices that will threaten the sustainability of the Bay even more.  The more human activities around the Bay, the more are the chances for added pollution unless we do something about it.

Actually, the government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has several laws to protect and conserve the Bay.  In the year 2000, the DENR implemented the Manila Bay Environmental Management   Project.   DENR is focusing on the improvement of water quality, restoration of habitats for aquatic animals and management of the river basin. 

But I just read that now there is even more good news because the governments of the Philippines and Netherlands have committed to rehabilitating Manila Bay.  The Netherlands is well known for its coastal management and environmental sustainability projects. The Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority and the Ambassador of Netherlands, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which will create the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan. This will ensure that Manila Bay?s water condition is improved to become sustainable water resource.  Hopefully, the water quality will be restored to a pristine state for fishing and even swimming activities.  This will happen through programs like managing informal settlers, flood control and other infrastructure projects.