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After getting flak, DENR asks to barricade Manila Bay White Sands, discourages public visit

The situation caused people to ignore social distancing guidelines just to catch a glimpse of the newly rehabilitated area. 

  • Netizens slammed authorities for allowing the overcrowding along Roxas Boulevard.
  • This was after the man-made “white sand beach” was opened to the public. 

After getting flak for disregarding social distancing guidelines around Manila Bay’s “white sand beach”, authorities have temporarily banned photography of the area and barricaded the baywalk.

Policemen were then deployed to the areas visited by hundreds of curious onlookers last weekend to prevent people from visiting the place.

People are still allowed to use the infamous footbridge but are not allowed to stop and take a photo of the view or get closer to the site.

Netizens then reacted saying that the situation could’ve been prevented in the first place.

One of the social distancing guidelines doesn’t allow mass gatherings which is one of the reasons why rallies are discouraged. However, it was violated during a Department of Environment and Natural Resources program at the Manila Bay.

https://twitter.com/ichinisan31/status/1307184155143225344

They then called-out Manila Mayor Isko Moreno for allowing the situation to take place.

https://twitter.com/leisbeth_recto/status/1307608686961913857

https://twitter.com/AdvertisingAEs/status/1307349641050992640

Moreno then asked DENR to barricade the area after the overcrowding that occurred.

“Pakiusap ko lang sa mamamayan, gustuhin man nating makita ‘yung Manila Bay white sands, e siguro may iba pa namang panahon,” he said.

“I already asked DENR to close ‘yung bakod dahil hard hat pa, may construction pang nagaganap.

He added that it’s enough that people shared and saw it in social media and that Filipinos must remember that COVID-19 still exists.

“Naalala ko pa rin meron pang pandemya. Meron pa akong pangamba, panganib sa lungsod ng Maynila.”

Another netizen said that if the “no social distancing” measure is allowed, then Manila should just go back to normal.

The Manila Bay artificial white sand beach opened last September 19. It caused traffic to slow down as people occupied up to two lanes of Roxas Boulevard to catch a glimpse of the “white sand”.

Written by J M

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