Freedom Island reclamation plan slammed

GROUPS from various sectors launched a signature campaign last Jan. 26 against the proposed Manila-cavite Coastal Reclamation and Rehabilitation Project, which involves the reclamation of the 635.14-hectare land and water area that is the Las Piñas-parañaque Coastal Lagoon, also called Freedom Island.

The groups, collectively called “Save the Freedom Island Movement,” aim to gather more than one million signatures against the reclamation project.

Among the anti-reclamation groups are fisherfolk, environmentalists, church people, vendors, neighborhood associations, child advocates group, the Akap Bata Party-list, people’s organizations, and government officials.

The movement said that the reclamation is the flagship project of Parañaque and Las Piñas city governments, the Philippine Reclamation Authority ( PRA) and All- Tech Contractors, Inc. under the government’s Public-private Partnership scheme.

They also said that the project will construct an entertainment center, ports, business parks, roads, real estate properties, universities among others in the target reclamation area.

Save Freedom Island spokesperson Glacy Macabale said that the project will affect the livelihood of almost 10,000 fishermen and vendors in the area and involve the demolition of homes of 200 families in the Floating Village and 500 more families along the esteros in Parañaque City alone.