An expert has called for the reversion of 44,000 hectares or 80 percent of the ponds in the Manila Bay to mangroves to restore coastal protection, regulate flooding, control soil erosion, and promote fisheries production, which were adversely affected by “built-up structures in the name of progress and development.” Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, chief mangrove scientific advisor at the Zoological Society of London, noted that before 1890, mangroves covered 74,000 hectares of Manila Bay's 200-kilometer coastline.

Richter, M. (2024, August 31). Expert calls for reversion of Manila Bay ponds to mangroves. Manila Bulletin, pp. 1, 8.