MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers from party-list group ACT-CIS filed a joint House resolution on Tuesday, August 8, seeking a congressional inquiry into the status of reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

The proposed resolution came on the heels of a US embassy statement expressing concern over the environmental impact of the projects, and their ties to a Chinese company blacklisted by the United States.

“The preservation and security of our nation are of paramount importance, and any activity that may impact our national security requires scrutiny,” read the document, authored by representatives Jocelyn Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo, and Edvic Yap.

ACT-CIS lawmakers file a reso urging the House to probe the status of Manila Bay reclamation projects, after the US Embassy raised the alarm over the projects' environmental impacts, and ties to a Chinese company that's been added to the US Entity List. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/QYSyDGXI6t

— Dwight De Leon (@newsdwight) August 8, 2023

Five subsidiaries of China Communications Construction Company were added to the US Department of Commerce’s Entity List back in 2020 for their role in helping the Chinese military construct artificial islands in the South China Sea.

One subsidiary – China Harbour Engineering Company – is involved in the Manila Bay reclamation project, which began in 2022.

“The main construction of the project includes backfilling to form three artificial islands and related supporting revetment structures, and foundation treatment. The amount of backfilling is about 97.11 million cubic meters, and the amount of the dredging is about 15 million cubic meters,” an article from its website read.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is currently conducting an impact assessment of the reclamation projects. – Rappler.com