10 Facts About Manila Bay

Manila Bay is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila, in the Philippines.

Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Philippines and its neighboring countries, becoming the gateway for socio-economic development even prior to Spanish occupation.

Across the entrance to Manila Bay are several islands, the largest of which is Corregidor, located 3 kilometers from Bataan and, along with the island of Caballo, separates the mouth of the bay into the North and South Channels.

Manila Bay remains important for commerce and industry, including fishing, although rapid urban growth and industrialization are contributing to a decline in water quality and deteriorating marine habitats.

Much of the land fronting the bay along Metro Manila is reclaimed land which now includes important sites such as the Philippine Senate and the Mall of Asia.

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Mangrove ecosystem around Manila Bay has both ecological and socioeconomic uses with its association of unique plant and animal species.

Successive changes in and around Manila Bay are largely due to the intertwining impacts of continued industrialization, unrelenting increase in population, and incessant human activities catering to livelihood and habitation.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in Manila Bay sediments have been influenced by human activities.

In 2010, at the occasion of the first Inter-LGU Forum on Tidal Flooding in Manila, the Dutch ambassador Robert Brinks recommended to close Manila Bay and build dykes in order to protect Manila and the surrounding provinces from the sea level rise that is expected as a result of climate change.

However, he noted that closing Manila Bay by means of a dyke would laso require a new harbor location to replace the Port of Manila.