Fishing communities in Taliptip, Bulakan face risks from natural hazards and the New Manila International Airport project

22 Oct 2025

The New Manila International Airport (NMIA), currently under construction in Taliptip, Bulakan along the shores of Manila Bay, is intended to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the primary international gateway to the Philippines. However, various stakeholders have expressed their resistance to the project due to the displacement of Taliptip fishing communities and its potential to degrade the environment of Manila Bay. The primary aim of this research is to determine, using the Protective Action Decision Model, the perceptions of communities of the risks from both natural hazards and the NMIA project, and explore how risk perception influences their decision-making process.

Manila Bay is constantly affected by tides, infrequently by strong earthquakes, and seasonally by fluvial floods and storm surges. The intensity of hydrometeorological hazards has intensified in the past decades due to climate change. Community resilience to natural hazards grew from past experiences, effective community-based early warning systems, and a culture of rebuilding. Residents view the risk posed by the NMIA project with greater concern than natural hazards because of displacement. They chose to remain due to livelihood, ease of living, rootedness, and residential immobility, but there is a sense of resignation stemming from a lack of land ownership and poverty.

The NMIA’s Environmental Impact Assessment is fraught with issues of lack of transparency, social acceptance, and possible policy loopholes. This highlights the need to provide balance between development and community preservation by employing best practices in infrastructure development where the welfare of communities and the environment is of utmost importance.

The application of risk perception assessment to the NMIA project would provide a case study for validation and/or refinement of the underlying theories on the role of risk perception in infrastructure development such as airports. The case study can also serve as a model of the success or failure of systems of infrastructure planning and development.

Fishing communities in Taliptip, Bulakan face risks from natural hazards and the New Manila International Airport project

The New Manila International Airport (NMIA), currently under construction in Taliptip, Bulakan along the shores of Manila Bay, is intended to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the primary international gateway to the Philippines. However, various stakeholders have expressed their resistance to the project due to the displacement of Taliptip fishing communities and its potential to degrade the environment of Manila Bay. The primary aim of this research is to determine, using the Protective Action Decision Model, the perceptions of communities of the risks from both natural hazards and the NMIA project, and explore how risk perception influences their decision-making process.

Manila Bay is constantly affected by tides, infrequently by strong earthquakes, and seasonally by fluvial floods and storm surges. The intensity of hydrometeorological hazards has intensified in the past decades due to climate change. Community resilience to natural hazards grew from past experiences, effective community-based early warning systems, and a culture of rebuilding. Residents view the risk posed by the NMIA project with greater concern than natural hazards because of displacement. They chose to remain due to livelihood, ease of living, rootedness, and residential immobility, but there is a sense of resignation stemming from a lack of land ownership and poverty.

The NMIA’s Environmental Impact Assessment is fraught with issues of lack of transparency, social acceptance, and possible policy loopholes. This highlights the need to provide balance between development and community preservation by employing best practices in infrastructure development where the welfare of communities and the environment is of utmost importance.

The application of risk perception assessment to the NMIA project would provide a case study for validation and/or refinement of the underlying theories on the role of risk perception in infrastructure development such as airports. The case study can also serve as a model of the success or failure of systems of infrastructure planning and development.