Just as we were in a celebratory mood after the successful clean-up of Manila, our euphoria was jarred by the announcement that the Office of the President had taken over all reclamation projects in the country. Which means that it would have direct control and supervision over the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) which has jurisdiction over the 43 reclamation projects of Manila Bay. We do not know as yet the full implication of EO 74 delegating the power of the President to approve reclamation projects to the PRA Governing Board, except that it repealed directives that placed the PRA under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Braid, F. R. (2019, February 9). Heroes of the environment (Part 2). Manila Bulletin, p. 10.