Manila Bay Declaration 2001

RECOGNIZING that Manila Bay is a source of food, employment, income, transportation, recreation, beauty, culture and history for the people of the area and the Philippines as a whole;

APPRECIATING that Manila Bay is the international gateway to the Philippines, and one of the best natural harbors in the East Asian region, and contributes over half of the country’s gross domestic product through activities such as fishing and aquaculture, manufacturing, shipping, agriculture, mining and quarrying, and tourism;

APPRECIATING that the Manila Bay area has natural values, such as, upland forests and wetlands, mangroves, mudflats, coral reefs and seagrass beds, that provide important sources of food and habitat for many species, help maintain water quality and provide shoreline defense against floods and erosion;

UNDERSTANDING that the sustainability of Manila Bay
and its diverse ecosystems are threatened by a variety of land and sea-based human activities such as over-fishing, introduction of alien species, uncontrolled coastal and river basin development and habitat destruction, and such threats have transboundary impacts;

RECOGNIZING the clear linkage between environmental degradation and the serious consequences to coastal populations, in particular the poor and other marginalized groups in Filipino society who depend extensively on the natural resources of Manila Bay for sustenance, and the need to address these two issues in an integrated fashion;

ENVISIONING that Manila Bay—reflective of God’s glory—can be a clean, safe, wholesome and productive ecosystem, a center of socioeconomic development, and a natural heritage nurtured by genuine Filipino values with regard to a better quality of life for both women and men today and for the future generations;

COMMITTING ourselves to the development and implementation of a comprehensive environmental management framework with targeted outcomes and action programs;

NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of these premises, and in order to ensure the sustainable development of Manila Bay, we, the stakeholders in Manila Bay, do hereby mutually declare and commit ourselves to this Declaration as follows:

To be collaborative partners in achieving a shared vision for Manila Bay by:

PROTECTING human welfare and the ecological, historical, cultural and economic features of Manila Bay for the benefit and security of present and future generations;

MITIGATING environmental risks that occur as a consequence of human activities in the Manila Bay coastal and watershed areas;

DEVELOPING areas and opportunities for both women and men in Manila Bay in consonance with environmental goals, policies and plans, thereby striking a balance between economic development and environmental management;

COMMUNICATING with the stakeholders of their rights and responsibilities, and the issues concerning the coastal and marine environment, to ensure their involvement and active participation in the development and implementation of an environmental management program; and

DIRECTING the formulation and implementation of policies and institutional mechanisms to achieve sustainable development in Manila Bay through interagency and intersectoral partnerships at the national and local levels.


To individually and collectively implement the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy, addressing the complex administrative, social, economic and environmental issues surrounding the sustainable development and management of Manila Bay and its resources by confirming our commitments to the following roles and responsibilities:


NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, strengthening national policies, strategies, plans and programs for the protection, restoration and sustainable development of the coastal and marine resources of the Philippines, and fulfilling national obligations under multilateral environmental instruments, thereby creating a policy and investment environment for implementation of the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy;

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, including coastal and non-coastal provinces, cities and municipalities of Manila Bay, developing and implementing local and gender-responsive coastal strategies and action programs in partnership with local stakeholders, and identifying opportunities for economic development and environmental investment, thereby achieving the objectives of the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy;

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES, exercising corporate responsibility with regard to sustainable development and use of the resources of Manila Bay, and investing in the environment and development of opportunities that benefit people and the environment, in accordance with the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy;

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PEOPLES’ ORGANIZATIONS, AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, organizing and mobilizing communities and other sectors/stakeholders, especially in the fields of education, gender equity, poverty alleviation, youth education, alternative livelihood programs, credit and extension services and other related concerns, thereby ensuring community awareness and participation in the implementation of the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy;

ACADEME, providing expertise and advice in policy and decision-making processes at the local and national levels, and undertaking research programs that address information gaps and uncertainties relevant to policy and management issues in the implementation of the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy;

LOCAL COMMUNITIES, getting informed on appropriate human activities that have a negative impact on their local environment, and becoming environmental managers and stewards of Manila Bay’s coastal and marine resources in accordance with the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy;

The UNITED NATIONS AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AND DONORS, providing training and education, technology transfer and other capacity building initiatives, and assisting the national and local governments in leveraging investments in environmental facilities and services, in support of the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy; and

INTERGOVERNMENTAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND COMMERCIAL AND DEVELOPMENT BANKS, providing expert advice and assistance to plan, develop, finance and operate self-sustaining environmental facilities and services in support of the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy.