At least 13 species of whales and dolphins — or half of its Philippine population — will be doomed by the heartless reclamation of land along the entire length of Dumaguete City’s beachfront. The extremely rare pygmy blue whale, to cite just one example, which has been spotted along the coast of Dumaguete City and Dauin, will soon be no more. That will be just one of the tragic consequences of a massive, 174-hectare artificial island, dubbed the “Smart City,” set to rise on reclaimed land just steps away from the picturesque Dumaguete boulevard. Shockingly, the proponent is no less than the city’s very own mayor Felipe Romollo, in partnership with a little-known private construction company called ER Cuerpo.

Napkil, L. G. (2021, July 17). Dolphins and Whales doomed. The Philippine Star, p. C3.