Reclamation as a viable solution
IF undertaken properly and with careful planning, reclamation can turn out to be a viable solution in expanding the boundaries of existing urban areas, helping leave rural lands undisturbed.
This, as reclamation creates new land that opens opportunities for more development within the same city or locality.
Phillip Añonuevo, executive director at Leechiu Property Consultants, told The Manila Times in an email that reclaimed lands can also be made more accessible. One case is the reclaimed lands behind and beside the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which has seen expansion in many years.
“The reclamation of land is the response to the need for more land or an opportunity for more development within the same city,” he said. Another example is the land occupied by the Mall of Asia which has become almost fully developed with Grade A office buildings, residential condominiums, hotels and one of the largest malls in the world. “It has a robust public transportation system that makes it accessible from many parts of Metro Manila and Cavite,” he added.
“Thus, SM sees an opportunity for continued development in the future and the reclamation of 400 hectares serves as their land bank,” Añonuevo continued.
Careful planning needed
However, reclamation projects need careful planning, as they require a lot of resources and can negatively impact ecosystems.
Architect Felino Palafox in the website www.palafoxarchitecture. com clearly states this need: “The resources tied up to reclamation could be used to different competing needs elsewhere in Metro Manila. A properly planned, designed, engineered and implemented reclamation area can do the country a lot of good if done properly in the right place, at the right time, at the right land-use type and density, and correct planning and development.”
And if carefully planned, reclamation projects can prevent the potential negative impact on water quality if the proponents of the initiative commit to such.
In the case of the Manila Bay reclamation, it is possible to see an improvement in the quality of the Bay’s water quality. “The proponents of reclamation projects may coordinate with the city governments for the proper disposal of waste by business establishments. Thus, water pollution may be avoided,” Añonuevo said.
Also, one overlooked benefit of reclamation is it helps preserve rural lands intended for food production.
However, the markets for reclaimed land and converted agricultural lands for development are different.
“When reclamation is undertaken, new land is created for future development. In the case of land reclamation with an area covering 100 to 200 hectares, the proponents will benefit from the extension of the city’s boundaries. On the other hand, rural land used in agriculture is preserved and will continue to be used for its primary purpose: food production,” Añonuevo said.
And while he said that reclamation does not necessarily deter or prevent urban sprawl or decay, Añonuevo said that reclaimed land can provide more space for the continued development of a region spanning decades.
“Twenty years ago, the land [formerly] known as the Boulevard 2000 was practically bare land without any development. Today, more than 1.9 million square meters of office space has been built in Pasay City and Parañaque City. This is almost as big as the Fort Bonifacio office market. Several of these buildings are occupied by some of the world’s largest companies and support job creation,” he said.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary (www.merriam-webster. com/dictionary) defines urban sprawl as “the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city.”