Lim chides Atienza for peddling lies on manila bay reclamation

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim has not concealed any detail of the reclamation project on a portion of Manila Bay , contrary to Atienza's malicious denunciation.

Atienza forgets that he is yet to explain and account for the Php 4.3 billion that he allegedly spent for the scandalous Pasig River dredging project when he was still DENR secretary and PRRC chairman.

In the first place, the planned reclamation does not involve the stretch of Manila Bay between Manila Yacht Club and US Embassy, as asserted by Atienza. This is a total lie! The reclamation will involve only a portion of the bay at the back of Phil. Navy and Manila Yacht Club towards the bay.

Unlike during his time as Mayor, Atienza closed and converted the baywalk into a vast beer garden to the detriment of the City's constituents who were deprived of the opportunity to stroll along the baywalk.

The statement of Mayor Lim in a series of guestings in radio and TV programs which he alluded to as the baywalk project refers to his proposed 100-meter long and 40-meter wide "Fisherman's Wharf" similar to that in San Francisco, USA, will not involve reclamation, contrary to Atienza's insinuation, as the wharf will rest only on stilts.

Ordinance No. 8233 allowing the reclamation of the portions of Manila Bay was enacted by the City Council with due observance of the legislative process, not in a "sneaky" manner, as mused by Atienza.

It is paradoxical that Atienza, who brags of serving 3 terms as mayor, has not contributed positively to the development and progress of the City which stagnated during his watch.

On the other hand, Mayor Lim who is now on his 4th term, surpassing Atienza's three, has made Manila a prosperous, financially, socially and politically stable city because of his 11-point agenda and selfless dedication to public service.

Atienza should better read and re-read the provisions of the Consortium Agreement between the City and Manila Gold Coast executed on April 17, 2012 so he could correctly comprehend that it is the 148 hectares portion of the bay that is to be reclaimed including the 12 hectares at the back of Manila Yacht Club and Philippine Navy and not the entire stretch of the bay especially that fronting the baywalk portion.

Portions of the bay abutting the entire baywalk area from the US Embassy to Pres. Quirino will not be reclaimed, contrary to what Atienza falsely peddles.

Perhaps, that is what he dreams of, if and when in his dreams, he regains the mayoralty of the city.

With respect to the additional 148 hectares described as "additional project area" in the MOA, this is definitely still in the drawing board and has never even been determined up to now. Certainly, if ever such proposal is pursued, it can not and will never be fronting the baywalk area but on the northern portion of the bay where the north harbor is situated.

Atienza who heartily quotes the notorious Nazi propagandist Goebbels' philosophy that "a lie repeated often enough becomes the truth" is himself a Goebbels' adherent and faithful disciple because of his consistent peddling of lies about himself, against other people, and in everything he talks of.

Surely, as Atienza observed, the projected reclamation is world's apart from the 100-meter long wharf that Mayor Lim has contrived to introduce occupying only a 40 sq.m. wide portion of the bay adjacent to the baywalk area which, contrary to his malicious quips is not limitless. On the contrary, it is he who had the proclivity to grab and amass wealth using his office.

As if professing his transparency, honesty and truthfulness, Atienza made a mountain out of a mole hill on the confidentiality clauses in the Consortium Agreement and claims that this was "itinatago sa publiko".

Verily, it is better to include a confidentiality clause and make it known to the public rather than provide a stipulation that is open to the public's knowledge yet it will be violated just the same, as what Atienza appears to be prone to.

Look at the Basa-Guidote property that the City purchased for more than P34 million using public funds, only to discover after more than a decade that Atienza released the money but did not receive the title.

He justifies his brazen gross neglect of duty in conveniently saying that he left it to his legal office and secretary. Alas! Even if the contract states that the capital gains tax should be paid by the seller, Atienza did not demand enforcement of that provision from 2001 till he left city hall in 2007. Yet, even if that contract did not have a confidentiality clause, Atienza succeeded in hiding it from public knowledge.

Anyway, confidentiality clause is a common provision in all conveyancing where, even if the contract provisions are transparent and open to public scrutiny, the parties caution one another from revealing anything which involve matters like peculiar business strategies that should be known only to each of them but is not required by law to be disclosed.

Lastly, on the environmental impact, Atienza creates a grim picture, as if professing that the City stands to be inundated by floods of alarming proportion and convert Central Manila into a "dagat-dagatan", in circulating that the reclamation will bring more harm than advantages.

Atienza's foreboding is baseless and plain concoction as this appears to be his remaining tirade against Mayor Lim. He has lost his senses, legal armaments and valid issues genuine enough to invite public discussion.

He must first account and answer questions on how much of the Pasig River had been dredged after spending P4.3 billion in public funds.

Until now he has kept mum. How many hospitals, health centers, schools had he built during his "3-term" as mayor.

Unfortunately, none. And not one of the six hospitals in the city was built by him. He has disappointed and neglected the Manileños.

Atienza should stop his tirades on the present administration and concentrate on his retirement from public life as the Manileños have learned to distrust and disbelieve him because of his endless penchant in peddling lies. - manila.gov.ph — ARA