Manila Bay is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila, in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Philippines and its neighboring countries, becoming the gateway for socio-economic development even prior to Spanish occupation. With an area of 1,994 km2 (769.9 sq mi), and a coastline of 190 km (118.1 mi), Manila Bay is situated in the western part of Luzon and is bounded by Cavite and Metro Manila on the east, Bulacan and Pampanga on the north, and Bataan on the west and northwest. Manila Bay drains approximately 17,000 km2 (6,563.7 sq mi) of watershed area, with the Pampanga River contributing about 49% of the freshwater influx. With an average depth of 17 m (55.8 ft), it is estimated to have a total volume of 28.9 billion cubic meters. Entrance to the bay is 19 km (11.8 mi) wide and expands to a width of 48 km (29.8 mi). However, width of the bay varies from 22 km (13.7 mi) at its mouth and expanding to 60 km (37.3 mi) at its widest point.
Laguna de Bay, also known as Laguna Lake and alternatively spelled "Laguna de Bae", is the largest lake in the Philippines. It is located southeast of Metro Manila, between the provinces of Laguna to the south and Rizal to the north. A freshwater lake, it has a surface area of 911–949 km2, with an average depth of about 2.8 meters and an elevation of about one meter above sea level. The lake is shaped like a crow's foot, with two peninsulas jutting out from the northern shore and filling the large volcanic Laguna Caldera. In the middle of the lake is the large island of Talim.
The Pasig River is a water body in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for 25.2 kilometers (15.7 mi), it bisects the Philippine capital of Manila and its surrounding urban area into northern and southern halves. Its major tributaries are the Marikina River and San Juan River. The total drainage basin of the Pasig River, including the basin of Laguna de Bay, covers 4,678 square kilometers (1,806 sq mi).
Today, environmental problems in the Philippines include pollution, mining and logging, deforestation, threats to environmental activists, dynamite fishing, landslides, coastal erosion, biodiversity loss, extinction, global warming and climate change. Due to the paucity of extant documents, a complete history of land use in the archipelago remains unwritten. However, relevant data shows destructive land use increased significantly in the eighteenth century when Spanish colonialism enhanced its extraction of the archipelago's resources for the early modern global market. The Philippines is projected to be one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, which would exacerbate weather extremes. As the Philippines lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, it is prone to natural disasters, like earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions. In 2021, the Philippines ranked the fourth most affected country from "weather-related loss events", partly due to the close proximity of major infrastructure and residential areas to the coast and unreliable government support. One of the most devastating typhoons to hit the archipelago was Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda, in 2013 that killed 6,300 people and left 28,689 injured. Congress passed the Clean Air Act of 1999, the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, the Climate Change Act of 2009 to address environmental issues. The country is also a signatory to the Paris Agreement. However, research has found that outside of cities, the general public doesn't feel equally informed. Environmental activists and land defenders, consisting mostly of Indigenous communities who have been attempting to bring attention to the environmental issues in the country have been met with violence or murder. As a result, the Philippines has been ranked one of the most dangerous places in the world for environmental activists. It also has one of the highest percentages of climate change denialists in the world.
The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), one of the attached agencies of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is responsible for the preservation, development, and sustainability of Laguna de Bay and its 21 major tributary rivers.
Hinulugang Taktak Protected Landscape, also known as Hinulugan Taktak, is a protected area in Rizal, Philippines. Initially assigned as a recreation area, the waterfall area has been designated as a national park by virtue of Republic Act No. 6964 in 1990. Ten years later, it became a protected landscape under Proclamation No. 412. It is managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Rizal Provincial Government.
The Pasig River Ferry Service (PRFS) is a public water bus service based in Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is currently the only water-based transportation service in Metro Manila that cruises the length of the Pasig River and Marikina River, passing through the cities of Manila, Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Marikina, and Taguig.
The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission was a state commission in charge of the rehabilitation of the Pasig River. The commission served for 20 years, from 1999 until its dissolution by President Rodrigo Duterte in November 2019. The body's powers and functions were transferred to the Manila Bay Task Force and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The Pasig River is a river in the Philippines running through the heart of Manila. It flows from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay for 26 kilometers (16 mi). Its average width is 50 meters (160 ft) and average depth around 4–6 meters (13–20 ft). The river runs through some of the most populated areas in the Philippines.
The Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) is a proposed elevated expressway in Metro Manila, Philippines skirting the banks of the Pasig River and connecting the cities of Manila, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Taguig and the municipality of Taytay. The expressway is proposed to alleviate east-west traffic congestion in Metro Manila. It is envisioned as a joint venture between the Philippine National Construction Corporation and the San Miguel Corporation. The project broke ground on September 24, 2021, while construction of the expressway was yet to start, pending the approval of its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). The project was deemed cancelled in 2024 due to public uproar against the project. However, Ramon Ang announced renewed interest in the project, albeit citing the need to adjust it toward public sentiment.
The Office of the President of the Philippines, is an administrative, advisory, and consultative government agency that aids the president of the Philippines in performing their duty as head of state and chief of the executive branch of government.
Regina Paz "Gina" La'o Lopez was a Filipino environmentalist and philanthropist who served as Secretary of the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in an ad interim basis under the Duterte administration. She was previously the Chairperson of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission under two consecutive administrations. Lopez was also a yoga missionary and a pioneer for corporate social responsibility.
The Mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (Mega DATRC), also known as the Mega Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, is a drug rehabilitation center at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
Roy Agullana Cimatu is a retired Philippine Army general who served as the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources from 2017 to 2022 in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte. He previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from May to September 2002 under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. After his retirement from the military, President Arroyo appointed him as the Special Envoy to the Middle East during the Iraq War.
Task Force Bangon Marawi was a government inter-agency task force group organized by President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2017 to facilitate the rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction efforts in Marawi after the battle between ISIL-linked militants and government forces in the city left the locality in ruins. The agency was abolished by Duterte's successor, President Bongbong Marcos on December 22, 2023.
The Binondo–Intramuros Bridge is a tied-arch bridge in Manila, Philippines, spanning the Pasig River. It connects Muelle de Binondo in Binondo and San Nicolas to Solana Street and Riverside Drive in Intramuros. The bridge has four lanes and exhibits a steel bowstring arch design with inclined arches. It is 680 meters (2,230 ft) long.
Rehabilitation of Marawi began following the end of a five month-battle in the city in October 2017. The battle left most of the city devastated, as government forces fought against ISIL-affiliated militants led by Isnilon Hapilon of the Abu Sayyaf and Omar and Abdullah Maute of the Maute group.
On April 26, 2018, the Philippine resort island of Boracay, one of the country's major tourist destinations, was temporarily closed to the general public as part of the Philippine government's efforts to rehabilitate and redevelop the island. As part of the closure, Boracay was closed for six months except to its registered residents and employees. The closure had a significant effect on the livelihood of local people. In 2022, the Philippine government declared that the closure was successful in rehabilitating the island's environment.
Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach, commonly known as Dolomite Beach, is an artificial beach along Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines created through the process of beach nourishment. It is part of an overall integrated coastal zone management aimed at coastal defense of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation project. When completed, the beach will cover a total length of 900 meters of Manila Baywalk.
