Manila Bay is a natural harbor serving the Port of Manila (in Luzon), in the Philippines. Located strategically around the Philippines' capital, Manila Bay facilitates trade and commerce between the Philippines and its neighboring countries, becoming the gateway for socio-economic development even before the Spanish occupation. With an area of ​​1,994 km 2 (769.9 sq mi), and a 190 km (118.1 mi) coastline, Manila Bay is located in the western part of Luzon and is bordered by Cavite and Metro Manila to the east, Bulacan and Pampanga in the north, and Bataan in the west and northwest. Manila Bay channeled some 17,000 km <2> (6,563.7 sq.l.) from the watershed, with the Pampanga River contributing about 49% of freshwater flows. With an average depth of 17 m (55.8 ft), it is estimated to have a total volume of 28.9 billion cubic meters (28.9 cubic kilometers). The entrance to the bay is 19 km (11.8 mi) wide and extends to a width of 48 km (29.8 mi). However, the bay width varies from 22 km (13.7 mi) in its mouth and extends up to 60 km (37.3 mi) at its widest point.
The Corregidor and Caballo islands split the entrance into two channels, about 2 mi (3.2 km) north and 6.5 million (10.5 km) wide on the South side. Mariveles, in Bataan province, is a port just inside the north entrance and Sangley Point is the site of the former Cavite Naval Base. On either side of the bay is the summit of a volcano with tropical foliage: 40 km to the north is the Bataan Peninsula and to the south is the province of Cavite.
Across from the entrance to Manila Bay there are several islands, the largest is the Corregidor, located 3 kilometers from Bataan and, along with Caballo Island, separates the bay mouth into North and South Channels. In the south channel is El Fraile Island and outside the entrance, and in the south, is Carabao Island. El Fraile, a rocky island of about 4 hectares (1.6 hectares) in the area, supports the giant concrete and steel debris of Fort Drum, an island fortress built by the United States Army to defend the southern entrance of the bay. To the north and south directly is the additional port, where local and international ports are located. A large number of ships in the North and South ports facilitate maritime activities at bay. Being smaller than the two ports, North Port is used for inter-island shipment while South Port is used for large ships.
Video Manila Bay
Histori
Manila Bay is connected to Laguna de Bay (pronounced "bai") about 3,000 years ago. Repeated episodic uplift along the West Marikina Valley Fault causes both to break up. The interaction between Manila Bay and Laguna de Bay is currently only going through the Pasig River.
The bay was the site of the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, where American troops led by Commodore George Dewey seized the area. This battle showcased the naval power of the United States. All of Spain's big ships were destroyed and captured. With its proud sea history and its abundant marine life, Manila Bay is a marine portal and the epicenter of the Philippines for government, economy and industry. During the Russian-Japanese War at the close of the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, three Russian-protected explorers ( Aurora , Zhemchug , and Oleg) a port in Manila that was then controlled by the United States for repair. However, because the US was neutral in this conflict, the trio of warships and their crew remained interned by the US until the war officially ended in September 1905. During World War II, Corregidor Island was annexed by Japanese forces based on Manila Bay. Long before, various other battles were carried out from this naval base, including the Battle of La Naval de Manila in 1646, which eventually ended the Dutch attempt to seize the Philippines. The bays remain important for commerce and industry, including fishing, although rapid urban growth and industrialization contribute to the deterioration of water quality and worsening of marine habitats. It also serves a focus for recreation for Metro Manila and is a popular destination for a walk and for sunset viewing. Much of the land facing the Gulf along Metro Manila is a reclaimed land that now includes important places like the Philippine Senate and the Mall of Asia.
On September 27, 2011, Manila Bay sea wall was destroyed by a storm surge caused by Typhoon Pedring. Even the US Embassy, ​​Museo Pambata and Sofitel Philippine Plaza were soaked by the flood. It is estimated that the damage will cost P30 million for repair. In April 2012, the sea wall once again opened to the public, which has been redesigned to withstand a powerful storm surge.
Maps Manila Bay
Ecosystem
Coastal and marine habitats in this area include plateau forests, mangrove forests, mud plains, sandy beaches, seagrass and coral reefs.
Biodiversity
A total of 19,139 birds belonging to 330 families and 99 species were observed at various monitoring sites along the bay. The endangered Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophote) and the winged Black-cuckoo-shrike are seen in the area. Large numbers of migratory birds use intertidal mud, fishponds and saltpans in winter and during the migration season.
A large number of commercial fish species such as snapper, marine catfish and mackerel are once abundant in these waters. Their decline led to the emergence of squid, shrimp, and small pelagic species such as herring and anchovy.
Mangrove
The mangrove ecosystems around Manila Bay have both ecological and socioeconomic uses with unique plant and animal species associations. Of the 54,000 hectares of original mangrove forest present at the turn of the 20th century, only 794 acres are left as recorded in 1995. Some of the remaining mangrove swamps in Pampanga Bay have considerable value for research and conservation education. As a natural habitat, mangrove is helpful in acting as a protective buffer against cyclones and storms.
The dominant in the bay area is Avicennia marina (gray or white mangrove forest) along with 15 mangrove species belonging to 9 families that grow there. In Bataan area, mangrove species found growing include:
- Rhizophora apiculata
- Rhyzophora mucronata (no common name found)
- Avicennia marina (gray or white mangrove)
- Nypa fruticans (nipa palm)
- Sonneratia alba (no common name)
- Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea ( nilad in Filipino)
- Sonneratia acida ( collapse in Filipino)
- Acanthus ilicifolius (acanthus holly-leafy)
- Excoecaria agallocha (mangrove)
Plantations from Cocos nucifera (palm oil) coexist with mangrove forests found in these areas.
Wetlands
Covering approximately 4,600 hectares, the wetlands around Manila Bay are useful in:
- provides food and habitat for fish, beach birds and wildlife;
- maintain and improve water quality of rivers, lakes and estuaries,
- serves as a reservoir for the watershed, and
- protects adjacent and downstream properties of the area from potential flood damage
Mud, sand dunes, swamps, beaches and rocky beaches are part of the wetlands of Manila Bay. Found mostly along Bataan and Pampanga beaches, mud is a suitable habitat for shellfish.
Coral Reef
Contributing to a balanced function of the ecosystems around Manila Bay, coral reefs in this area provide shelter for fish. As a result, its decline over the years has directly affected the fish yield.
Seagrass Templates
As a diverse ecosystem, seagrass beds provide shelter for fish and other marine life forms. Like coral reefs, most of the seagrass beds in Manila Bay are found near their mouths, especially in the Malolos, Orion, Mariveles, and Corregidor Island areas.
Highland forests
Within the borders of the abundant highland forests of Manila Bay, which are a source of food, wood, firewood and other products, as well as habitat for wildlife. These forests provide protection from soil erosion and help maintain water levels and water quality in rivers and streams. Mount Makiling, Angah Dam Watershed, La Mesa Dam Watershed, Palay-Palay Mountain Landscape/Mataas na Gulod Protected, Mount Arayat and other parts of the national park located in Bataan, Bulacan, Rizal and Tarlac are part of this highland forest ecosystem.
Major developments
Land reclamation
Mostly intended for use in human settlements and industrial development, land reclamation projects contribute to the reduction of mangroves around the area, as well as significant reductions in the coastline of Metro Manila. From 1944 to 1991, about 600 m of coastline had been reclaimed in the north. In 2009, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said that there are 7,000 hectares of coastal areas in Cavite and 5,000 hectares of shallow waters to expand Sangley Point naval bases as part of a reclamation project largely funded by foreign investors..
Convert land
Conversion of mangrove and mud areas into fish ponds has affected the physical features of the bay where the irregular coastline in 1944 became more linear in 1977. The shoreline retreat continues as a manmade structure such as a fish cage occupying the coastal area, with the dominant progradation of 1977 to 1991. Most of the bay area, except near ports, is mostly used as a large fishing area, with fisheries and aquaculture as the main source of livelihood for coastal populations.
From 1990, about 1,200 hectares of mangrove forest were cleared, with land converted for aquaculture or used as a salt bed. In 1993, many fisheries resources continued to decline due to overfishing and excessive harvesting.
Waterfront Development
With the current Mayor Lito Atienza Mayor program (Buhayin ang Maynila (Revitalization Manila) in 2002, the local government set up an initiative to improve Manila's coastal promenade through urban reform, maintenance and improvement. What came to be known as the Baywalk, a facelift from a central 2-km public space strip aimed at creating a place for social interaction and recreation.
Referring to its colonial history, Manila's beaches express power through dominant classes that use Baywalk for sport, fishing or socialization. The combination of land use and social activity provides public access to the waterfront, and denies intelligence and pettiness. Reliving the waters of Manila through Baywalk injects enthusiasm and historic appreciation into the public sphere with the Arsenio Lacson statue, Ninoy Aquino and Evelio Javier placed in the main area.
Initially, the lack of funds hampered the rise of Baywalk. Finally, planning for Baywalk means understanding and managing the diversity of functions with appropriate policies.
Legislation
Manila Bay and its associated resources are considered an important environmental protection recipient. As indicated in the 1987 Constitution (Article II, Section 16) there is a legal basis for environmental protection provided that: "The State shall protect and promote the right of the people to a balanced and healthy ecology in accordance with the rhythm and harmony of nature."
The Manila Bay Declaration of 2001 recognizes Manila Bay as a source of food, employment and income for the community as well as a gateway for tourism and recreation.
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was adopted in 2001 and enacted in 2004.
Water quality
Successive changes in and around Manila Bay are largely due to the ongoing effects of continuous industrialization, an unceasing population increase, and unending human activities that serve livelihoods and shelter. These factors directly undermine the overall Manila Bay environment and this impact is manifested in the sustainable reduction of water quality within the bay. Some industries operate along the bay in the very urban Metro Manila area, while there are shipbuilding facilities in Cavite and in Bataan, some heavy industries, refineries, and power plants are present. At the shipping port and ferry terminal, an average of 30,000 ships arrive and depart each year to transport passengers, manufactured goods and raw materials. Unprocessed sewage and sewerage industry sewage disposal has contributed to the severe degradation of water and sediment quality in the bay and impacts on existing marine habitats.
Salinity
According to research by Jacinto Manila bay has an average surface salinity of 32.6 psu (practical salinity unit). Due to river currents, areas near the coast have low salinity especially around the mouth of the Pasig River in the eastern part of the bay. Salinity is also influenced by strong seasonal variations.
Soil erosion effect
As shown by exposed coconut tree roots, sustainable soil erosion has been a major factor in the shifting coastline of Manila Bay. Regardless of soil erosion, other environmental processes such as mud sediment and sea level rise also contribute to changing the shoreline of the bay. In some parts of the bay, however, erosion is prevented by sea walls and offenders especially in areas where land has been reclaimed.
Pollution
With the existence of the port, the source of marine pollution around the bay comes from ships and motorized boats. Twelve oil spills were recorded in 1995, but in 1999 where the highest oil spill volume occurred in Manila South Harbor and Limay, Bataan. Increased presence of oils and fats in the waters is associated with maritime activities in ports, along with the presence of oil terminals and industrial discharges. These factors directly affect the health of Manila Bay waters.
In addition to oil spills, traces of metals such as copper, cadmium and zinc at the surface of the water are found in land-based and marine bays (eg domestic waste, industrial waste, runoff, combustion emissions, and mining operations) sources.
In 1996, the concentrations of 16 pesticides commonly used in surface sediments were found including dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in Manila Bay sediments have been affected by human activity. PAHs come mainly from petrogenic sources (eg, removal of oil from ships, refineries and industries) and pyrolytic sources (from sources of combustion).
Pesticide residue from wetland water flowed into the irrigation canal, which then empty into the river system and eventually flows into adjacent lakes reaching the waters of Manila Bay. The compounds of these pesticide residues find themselves in food with metamidophos, endosulfan, chlorpyrifos and diazinones among the common contaminants. While the effects of chronic toxicity on the inhabitants of the bay are not found, marine biota disorders are more pronounced.
In 1997, polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs), common compounds in transformers, hydraulic fluids, paint additives and pesticides were determined in sediments and oysters extracted from Manila Bay. Increased concentrations of nutrients and the presence of nitrate, ammonia and phosphate in the bay, from the 80s, to the 90s and beyond were not only due to agricultural runoff and river discharge but also to fertilizer from fish ponds.
Future
Rehabilitation
Despite issues commonly associated with developing countries, such as poverty, overpopulation and food security, there is a startling concern for Manila's environmental vitality. Rehabilitation, which in this case refers to efforts to improve aquatic systems and prevent further damage to natural ecosystems, is a responsibility that is assumed both by governments and non-governmental organizations. The Philippine Supreme Court for example has issued the Manila Metro Construction Authority order to "destroy the illegal buildings and shelters along the banks of rivers and waterways connected to Manila Bay by 2015" in March 2011 in an effort to reduce the occurrence of water pollution. Projects involving the wider community include the organization "Manila Bay Cleansing," which essentially supports the Philippine Environment Agency with their goal to increase funding and awareness of the rehabilitation of Manila's natural environment.
Sea level rise
Global warming, which in its simplest context refers to an increase in the Earth's atmospheric temperature and subsequent results from rising sea levels, poses a major threat to the conservation of Manila Bay and its adjacent towns. With a recent study predicting "sea levels can rise between 0.75 and 1.9 meters by 2100" and considering the vast landscape of development, industrial growth and overcrowding populations, exponential assets exposed to flood-prone zones are clearly a terrible problem. The Philippine State Study on Climate Change has illustrated this proactive approach to environmental concerns through detailed impact assessment governance which includes the following elements: Physical Environment
- Tidal regime including low and high water circulation
- Season outline to describe periods of high and low rainfall
Habitat and Species
- Identification of coral species, mangrove forests, coastal ecosystems, and nearby farmland
Vulnerability Analysis
- A vulnerability map is drawn to decipher the townscape in an accelerated sea-time line. Using such resources demonstrates precisely the area of ​​population and natural habitats that are likely to be flooded as a result of global warming
Challenges
Due to the low profile of the environment and its goals within the Philippines, the official awareness of global warming and investment for self-imposed research becomes a victory. Further steps to meet the challenges of rehabilitation and sea level rise in Manila Bay may include additional research to gain insight into the complex nature of existing ecosystems; investment for coastal protection means such as the implementation of concrete walls; laws and policies dedicated to habitat protection and restriction or development zonation; as well as public education programs to increase the intensity of conservation support. Long-term goals for Manila Bay should ideally include the reduction or discontinuation of nearby polluting companies, the adoption of effective standards for waste disposal and improved overall water quality.
See also
- Philippine Geography
- The Battle of Manila Bay
- the rehabilitation of the Pasig river
References
External links
- Media related to Manila Bay on Wikimedia Commons
- Fort Drum: Philippine Concrete Warship
- The Manila Bay Biophysical Environment - Then and Now
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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