Fight or flight: a critical study on the perceived effects of the planned aerotropolis of San Miguel Corporation—a reclamation project—to the community of fisherfolk and the environment of Taliptip, Bulakan, Bulacan

Abstract

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is the main gateway to the Philippines. It has been catering to millions of Filipinos and foreign nationals going in and out of the country. Its efficiency must be consistently good because it holds the greatest number of inward and outward flights in the country. Because of its importance, the country cannot afford to experience magnanimous problems as these would disrupt the operations of the country's most important international airport. Unfortunately, NAIA has been experiencing major issues in the past few years that have cause major disruptions to operations ultimately stranding thousands of passengers. The clamor for effective solutions to NAIA's problems continues to intensify as NAIA's efficiency declines. San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has given an unsolicited proposal that seeks to address these issues. SMC proposed building an entirely new airport in the municipality of Bulakan in a form of an Aerotropolis, an airport complex that would also house public and private offices, housing, shipping and storing facilities, and other business establishments. The proposal includes 4 parallel runways with a capacity of a maximum of 200 million passengers per year. The study assessed the impacts of the airport project to the residents and environment of the area. Case study questionnaires were distributed to and unstructured interviews were done with the residents. There are also scientific studies discussed from statements and papers of reputable Filipino scientists. Government officials were also consulted. Descriptive statistical analysis, thematic analysis, and triangulation of sources were used to analyze the data gathered. The study revealed that there are negative impacts on the socio-economic well-being (e.g. displacement and loss of livelihood) of the residents and on the area's biodiversity. There are also hazards that would place the residents and the airport project at high risks for disasters.