"We will sink anyway."
There has been so much protest about 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Among the biggest of these reclamation projects are those of the city of Manila—four totaling 1,400 hectares involving development cost of P250 billion.
According to Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, the four reclamation projects will create at least 500,000 jobs, generate new revenues of P17 billion, and new tax revenues of P10 billion in real estate taxes.
Contrast those benefits against the objections of so-called environmentalists. They claim Manila will sink, the balance of nature in Manila Bay will change drastically, and marine life will be affected.
In the first place, with or without reclamation Manila, and about one-third of Luzon, will sink because of global warming. Why? Because they are already below sea level.
The experience with reclamation worldwide is that it does more good than harm.
Much of the coastlines of Mainland China, Hong Kong, North Korea, South Korea, and Abu Dhabi are reclaimed lands.
Here is an overview of major reclamation projects in Asia, per Wikipedia: China
• China built the largest size of artificial lands thru reclamation, 1.3 million hectares reclaimed from 1949 to 2000s. The City of Manila has only 4,288 hectares. So China reclaimed the equivalent of 303 cities the size of Manila. Manila’s 1,400 hectares of reclamation will increase its size by only 32 percent, to 5,688 hectares.
• Nearly 65 percent of tidal flats around the Yellow Sea have been reclaimed.
• Inland lowlands in the Yangtze valley, China, including the areas of important cities like Shanghai and Wuhan.
• Haikou Bay, Hainan Province, China, where the west side of Haidian
Island is being extended, and off the coast of Haikou City, where new land for a marina is being created.
• The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen
• The Cotai Strip in Macau, where most of the major casinos are located
• Hongkong International Airport sits on reclaimed land.
Philippines
• The shore of Manila Bay in the Philippines, especially along Metro
Manila, has attracted major developments such as the Mall of Asia Complex, Entertainment City and the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex.
Singapore
•The city-state of Singapore, where land is in short supply, reclaimed 52 sq miles (13,467 hectares), expanding its land area by 25 percent to 71,819 hectares.
The Singaporean government used land reclamation to supplement Singapore's available commercial, residential, industrial, and governmental properties (military and official buildings).
South Korea
• South Korea reclaimed 600 sq miles from its coastal wetlands.
• Incheon International Airport sits on reclaimed land.
Japan
• Japan reclaimed 110 sq miles, including 90 sq miles from Tokyo Bay which is now home to its largest industrial park.
• Nagoya Centrair Airport sits on reclaimed land.
United Arab Emirates
• The Palm Islands, The World and hotel Burj al-Arab off Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
• The Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Dubai's Palm Islands are the largest manmade islands in the world and take their name from their artificially crafted palm tree shape. These offshore islands have since become a popular holiday destination thanks to their uniqueness and Dubai's fast-growing tourist trade.
Dubai's Palm Islands are home to 5,000 waterfront apartments, 4,000 residential villas, 1,000 water homes and 60 luxury hotels as well as a number of marinas, health spas, shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas, sports facilities and dive sites.
Qatar
• A part of the Hamad International Airport in Qatar, around 36 sqm.
(14 sq mi).
• The entire island of The Pearl-Qatar situated in West Bay (Doha), Qatar.
India
• India has 300 years of reclamation history.
• Much of the coastlines of Mumbai, India are reclaimed.
Reclamation created one of the world’s megacities. It took over 150 years to join the original Seven Islands of Bombay. These seven islands were lush, green, thickly wooded, and dotted with 22 hills, with the Arabian Sea washing through them at high tide.
The original Isle of Bombay was only 24 km long and 4 km wide from
Dongri to Malabar Hill (at its broadest point) and the other six were
Colaba, Old Woman's Island, Mahim, Parel, Worli and Mazgaon.
Metropolitan Mumbai today crams more than 12.4 million people into anarea of 438 sq km.
Indonesia
• The shore of Jakarta Bay. Land is usually reclaimed to create new housing areas and real estate properties, for the rapidly expanding city of Jakarta. So far, the largest reclamation project in the city is the creation of "Golf Island", which is still ongoing.
• Giant Sea Wall Jakarta.
Bahrain
• Bahrain increased its territory by 47 percent by reclamation, 122 sq. miles added to its original 256 sq. miles.
Pakistan
• Much of the coastline of Karachi, Pakistan.
Lebanon
• Beirut Central District
Maldives
• Hulhumalé Island, Maldives. It is one of the six divisions of Malé City.
Sri Lanka
• Colombo International Financial City
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