Contested Space: Manila Sunset Bay and the Conflict Over Land Reclamation for an Urban Transformation Project

Abstract: Urban spaces are becoming contested spaces, where different groups and institutions, political or apolitical, legitimize their right to use, maintain and appropriate space for various purposes, eventually leading to conflicts and contestations. The Manila Bay area has been at the center of reclamation efforts and opposition against such efforts over a long period.  Through observation, interviews and documentary sources, this paper provides a narrative on a developing conflict between local citizen groups, city authority and real estate organizations. The first section of the paper provides a background on the Manila Bay cultural value and the proposed solar city reclamation project. Secondly, the paper highlights an evolution of the conflict through a network analysis. The final section of the paper outlines decisional strategies for conflict transformation by focusing on patterns of interaction and the network among the different actors.