The Need for a Clear Rehabilitation Roadmap for Manila Bay Coastal Ecosystems: A Microcosm of Climate Emergency in the Philippine Context

Manila Bay is plagued by various environmental challenges. This chapter revisits the changes in mangrove occurrence and distribution relative to the spatio-temporal changes and history of the 200 km coastline of the entire Manila Bay. Using topographic maps, brackish water ponds, and toponyms, we found that about 75,000 to 90,000 hectares of mangroves apparently existed in the 1900s, comprising ca. 10 percent of the river basin. At present, only barely 1 percent (<1,000 ha) is left, reflecting massive deforestation largely due to conversion into brackish water fishponds, salt pans, and rice paddies as well as development into residential and industrial settlements. Knowing the bay’s history, it is imperative to protect the ecological integrity of Manila Bay and to restore former mangrove areas as the government moves forward in its rehabilitation programs, projects, and activities. The Manila Bay story seems to be a microcosm of national and global significance, exemplifying how we deal with development projects which transform our coastal ecosystems into other uses. We stress the need for more environmental scientists looking through broader spatio-temporal lenses in our work toward conserving the Philippine coastal ecosystems. This chapter discusses specific policy recommendations in setting a clear rehabilitation roadmap for Manila Bay Coastal Ecosystems considering present and projected climate scenarios.