The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) indefinitely suspends the processing and issuance of transport permits for the entry and movement of bamboo for aquaculture purposes within the municipal waters of Bacoor City, Cavite City, Kawit, and Noveleta in the province of Cavite, per memorandum issued by DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations and Environment, Atty. Juan Miguel T. Cuna on November 8, 2021.

Cuna said the suspension is in lightof the need to continuously rehabilitate and restore the marine and coastal ecosystems in Manila Bay pursuant to Section 3 of Administrative Order No. 16 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, under the authority of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on February 19, 2019.

“The entry and movement of bamboo for other purposes, including but not limited to construction materials for houses, scaffolding, bridges, fences, and buildings and for furniture shall be allowed,” Cuna said in his memorandum.

Per initial data given by the respective local government units, there are a total of 370 illegal aquaculture structures in Cavite waters: 271 in Cavite City, 97 in Kawit, and 2 in Noveleta. However, per data gathered during the actual marking conducted from September 15-22, 2021, a total of 949 structures had been marked: 789 in Cavite City and 160 in Kawit. Most of these structures are bamboo-made.

On November 4, 2021, Manila Bay Inter Agency Task Force - Cavite Cluster started the clearing/dismantling of 32 sapras in Cavite City. DENR CALABARZON Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria said that the said demolition is part of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program of the DENR. “‘Yun lang naman po ang ating intensyon, isaayos, bilang bahagi ng rehabilitasyon ng ating Manila Bay dahil 2008 pa tayo inutusan ng kataas-taasang hukuman ng ating bansa na ibalik ang kalidad ng tubig sa Manila Bay sa Class SB. Ang gagawin natin ngayon ay isa sa mga hakbang upang matulungan nating maibalik sa ganung kalidad”, he explained.

Early in July 2021, Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu ordered DENR CALABARZON to regulate illegal aquaculture structures in Manila Bay.###

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Parent Category: News & Events
Category: Press Releases
Published: 10 November 2021