Philippines Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who has made headlines in recent months for his vehement opposition of the POGO industry, has denied any direct involvement in a PHP34.3 billion (US$611 million) Manila Bay reclamation project being led by his family’s Waterfront Manila Premier Development Inc (MWPDI).
However, he told the the Kapihan sa Manila Bay Forum last week that he knows all processes have been properly followed amid concerns raised by the US Embassy – particularly around the involvement of Chinese construction firm China Communications Construction Co (CCCC), which is blacklisted by Washington.
The planned project, located in the south of Manila South Harbor, will include a central business district as well as health, entertainment, and education hubs. This covers the P34.3-billion reclamation and horizontal development of 318 hectares along Manila Bay.
CCCC is one of several companies the US has identified as being involved in “militarization and coercion in the South China Sea” and has also been named by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank for alleged engagement in fraudulent business practices.
