265 Hectare Pasay Harbour Reclamation Project (part 1 of 4)

The Pasay Harbour reclamation project is a massive push by the local government of Pasay City, Philippines to build an entirely new city within the bay area. Learn the details of this 3 part series report and how to win the construction bidding.

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Basic Project Information

The City of Pasay has been granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) No. ECC-CO-1601003 dated 2017-October-24 for its Proposed 360 Hectare Reclamation Project. The City is proposing to embark on an additional reclamation project with an area of 265 hectares.

Table PD-1. Project Proponent/EIA Preparer

Table PD-2. Project Fact Sheet/PD Summary

Project Description

The proposed reclamation project covers 265 hectares involving two (2) islands with areas of 210 hectares and 55 hectares respectively. Consistent with the protocol of the Revised Procedural Manual (RPM), the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) application being applied for involves only the horizontal development phase. The operations phase will be subject to the applicable requirements of the Philippine EIS System (PEISS).

The Private Sector Project Developers for the original (360 hectares) and the new (265 hectares) projects will be different and separate corporate entities.

Project Rationale

The increasing demand for readily developable lands for urban expansion areas has pushed the real estate market in Metro Manila to its highest since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Since the other urban centers of Mega Manila has no other way to expand their existing inventory of land, the increasing requirements for areas to accommodate and satisfy the demand for rapid commercial and residential growth falls on the coastal LGUs. This therefore necessitates the creation of more lands for economic activities through reclamation developments along the coastal areas of Manila Bay. Among the Metro Manila LGUs, Pasay City is one of the smallest in terms of land area. However, it has the potential to expand its land through sea reclamation activities.

The proposed Pasay City land reclamation project along the coast of Manila Bay, near the current SM Mall of Asia complex, can produce some 2,650,000 square meters of additional buildable/developable space. This could be translated into about 1,855,000 square meters of building gross floor area, based on the existing 70% buildable vis-à-vis to 30% open space/public area ratio. The additional 1,855,000 square meters of building gross floor area can be allocated for tourism, office, residential, commercial, and other non-industrial mixed uses in a master planned community including an integrated port facility complex for cruise ships visiting Manila.

The proposed 2,650,000 square meters of reclaimed land is in line with Pasay City Ordinance No. 5768 (Series of 2016), which calls for the reclamation activities covering the identified areas located offshore of the current SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. The project will provide expansion of the City’s current land area for economic activities.

The proponent believes that the proposed 265-hectare reclamation project will bring about meaningful progress to Pasay City and its people, and shall kick-start the favorable transformation of that section of the Manila Bay, instead of the area’s further degradation. The proponent cites the mega success of its past reclamation projects – the CCP Complex and the Mall of Asia areas – as proof and blueprint for success of similar undertaking. In 2015 alone, the City Government of Pasay was able to collect about PhP3.2 billion in real property taxes, and business and work permits from the existing MOA reclamation area. With the proposed project, the proponent could derive double, or even triple that amount, which will definitely translate to more and better services for the people of Pasay.

The 265-hectare reclamation project is an expansion of the original 360-hectare project and is intended to enhance further the visions embodied in the original project, i.e.:

• Further promote the well-being of the people of the City of Pasay especially in terms of employment and livelihood;
• Stimulate city growth by providing a basic infrastructure – land to investors;
• Help solve congestion problems; and
• Actualize the vision of government through the PRA.

Thus, this proposed 265-hectare Pasay Harbor City will satisfy the current and future demands of lands for tourism and commercial activities in accordance with Pasay City Ordinance No. 5768 (Series of 2016) and in support of the “build-build-build” developmental concept in Pasay City and in Metro Manila as envisioned by the current administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Project Area, Location and Accessibility

Location and Political Boundaries- The project, broken down into 2-islands, is located west of Metro Manila, within the municipal waters of Pasay City and adjacent to the City of Manila, as shown in Figure PD-1. It is adjacent to the Proposed 360 Hectare Pasay City Reclamation Project, which has recently been granted an ECC.

The impact barangay for the Proposed Project is Barangay 76 Zone 10, as indicated in Figure PD-2. Geographic Coordinates (Shape File Data) of Project Area – The coordinates are vital for: (a) identifying the scope of the ECC that is being applied for; (b) providing the footprints from which impact assessments may be made, e.g., water circulation, bathymetry; geotechnical investigation and marine surveys; and for (c) ascertaining that the site is indeed within the political boundaries of the City.

Table PD-3. Geographic Coordinates (Shape File Data) of Project Area

Figure PD-1. Google Earth Map indicating the Proposed Project

Accessibility – The nearest existing major road to the proposed project site is J.W. Diokno Boulevard approximately located at a straight distance of 1.68 km from the nearest corner of the reclamation landform, shown in Figure PD-3.

The Access Ways – Preliminary design works are underway for the link from shore to the reclaimed land.

Connectivity and Associated Transport Systems

For the development of the Pasay Harbour City Project, the following components to support the transport system are being planned to be built by third parties with the rationale of supporting the government mass transport system plan: A connection to the airport through the existing NAIA Expressway (already in place);

1. A connection to the southern gateway through the CAVITEX;
2. A connection to the northern gateway via C1 and C4 then to NLEX;
3. A connection to the seaport in Manila via Roxas Boulevard; and
4. A connection to the rest of Metro Manila through existing and planned mass transport system.

Interisland Connectivity

A bridge connecting Islands 1 and 2 will be built. A preliminary architectural sketch is shown in Plate PD1 below.

Vicinity Map and Adjacent landmarks- The vicinity map shown in Figure PD-4 indicates the nearest landmarks and shows the adjacent other proposed reclamation project. To date, none of these other proposed project have been implemented yet since the Notices to Proceed (NTPs) from the PRA have not been issued yet.

Important landmarks adjacent to the project site include:

• Cultural Center of the Philippines
• Coconut Palace
• Philippine Sofitel Hotel
• PICC
• The Philippine Senate
• GSIS
• J.W. Diokno Blvd.
• Mall of Asia
• Okada Resorts Club
• Solaire Resorts Club
• Diosdado Macapagal Blvd.

The adjacent other proposed reclamation project are:

• The 360-Hectare Pasay Harbour Reclamation Project

Next week, GineersNow will publish the second part of the City of Pasay Harbour Reclamation

• City of Pasay Harbour Reclamation Project part 1 release date 25-March-2019
• City of Pasay Harbour Reclamation part 2 release date 1-April-2019
• City of Pasay Harbour Reclamation part 3 release date 8-April-2019
• City of Pasay Harbour Reclamation part 4 release date 15-April-2019

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Disclaimer: this report was first made public by the EIA Philippine Government. All information are subject to change without prior notice from the Philippine Government.