Marine species conservation and protection is the focus of the restoration of Manila Bay, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said last week.
Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said in a statement that the government is eager to have Manila Bay rehabilitated and maintained to level four for bathing and other recreational activities, and, more importantly, returned to its traditional use as a fishing ground and reinstated as a vital wetland area.
Cimatu announced in time for the country’s celebration of World Wildlife Day. It is celebrated globally by United Nations member-countries every March 3, the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) of which the Philippines is a signatory.
The World Wildlife Day was proclaimed on December 20, 2013, at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
“This year’s celebration reminds us of the importance of the marine life as one of the natural resources that we need to sustain, thus, giving us more reasons to continue the ongoing efforts to save Manila Bay and other bodies of water in the Philippines,” Cimatu said.
Manila Bay covers 190 kilometers of coastline from Cavite to Bataan.
News source: Business Mirror