he Manila bay Environmental Management Project (MBEMP) is a local component of the Regional Programme on Building Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), a UNDP-GEF funded project with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the host institution in the Philippines and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as the executing agency. It will develop and implement a Operational Plan for Manila Bay Coastal Strategy (OPMBCS) in partnership with national government agencies and stakeholders both from public and private sectors.

Manila Bay and its management have been the focus of a significant amount of research and debate over the past number of years based on a survey conducted by PEMSEA,  in total there is an estimated 115 researches and 32 ongoing or proposed projects on the Bay - the total budget for these is estimated to be PhP 3 billion, including grants from donor agencies amounting to US $22 million. However, there does not appear to be any central warehouse of information on Manila Bay, nor any systematic process whereby these data are analyzed, interpreted and applied in development and implementation of management policies or interventions.

Manila Bay is the international gateway to the Philippines and a natural endowment possessing values which the Filipinos must be proud of, the rest of the world to look up to, and a heritage for humanity to keep and preserve.

"Manila Bay - reflective of God's glory - is a clean, safe, wholesome and productive ecosystem, a center of socioeconomic development, and a natural heritage nurtured by genuine Filipino values with regard to better quality of life for the present and future generations."

"We, the Manila Bay stakeholders are collaborative partners in:

• Rehabilitating, protecting and maintaining a healthy ecosystem in Manila Bay;
• Developing both terrestrial and water resource on a sustainable basis for the utmost benefit of present and future generations;
• Preserving social, cultural, historical and ecological values; and
• Formulating and implementing policies, plans, laws and regulations with priority consideration given to those who depend on the resources and services provided by Manila Bay for their sustenance.

We will undertake these actions with a genuine commitment, concerted effort and strong political will."