Andronico Del Rosario
It seems the “worst fears” of the critics of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) have come true.
Photos of the Manila Bay beach rehabilitation project surfaced online showing the white sand turn a dark shade of gray—revealing its previous black color from pollution. Sandbags were also seen at the edge of where the beach meets the sea.
LOOK: Sandbags were placed along the shore of Manila Bay where the crushed dolomite were dumped as part of the DENR's beautification project. | via George Calvelo and Val Cuenca, ABS-CBN News pic.twitter.com/1H2lQiGqVe
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) September 23, 2020
LOOK: Sandbags were placed along the shore of the artificial "white sand beach" on Manila Bay.
The opening of the "white sand beach" last weekend saw people crowding and not practicing physical distancing despite efforts to limit the people in the area.
📷: STAR/Edd Gumban pic.twitter.com/KacdyqJXQ4
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) September 23, 2020
In an interview with Radyo Pilipinas, DENR USec. Benny Antiporda said the dolomite white sand “was not being washed away.”
https://www.facebook.com/143947355665943/posts/3900277556699552/
Antiporda also said the sandbags were placed by contractors to prevent visitors from walking too far and possibly going into the waters of Manila Bay.
“Ito po ay protektado ng mga geotubes at geotextile. Hindi po mae-erode ng madalian iyan. Kung magkaroon man, hindi po ganoon ka-grabe (sic) ang magiging erosion diyan.” Antiporda also asked critics to just wait for the beach rehabilitation to finish before commenting on the project.
Celebrities were up in arms after seeing the photos in news outlets.
I'm running out of words. https://t.co/HHxeRjMsZn
— JC Punongbayan (@jcpunongbayan) September 23, 2020
— Gretchen Ho (@gretchenho) September 23, 2020
Anuman ang pilit na itinatago, lalabas at lalabas din. https://t.co/UPOY9u7Cn8
— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) September 23, 2020
Welcome to the land of GNP (Gawan Ng Paraan), Republic of Pasensya. https://t.co/4PVAq1owvM
— Pia Magalona ⁷ (@piamagalona) September 23, 2020
Some even called out the beach rehab project, saying it was merely for show.
Pang one-day EVENT kasi yung mga kilos ninyo eh! #LetLeniLead https://t.co/iv6wzHBmYj
— Pia Magalona ⁷ (@piamagalona) September 23, 2020
Others took to songs and jokes to express their dismay.
Oh kay bilis naman Maglaho ng… 😳🙄 https://t.co/k5c9e45LdG
— carmela brosas (@kbrosas) September 23, 2020
And so castles made of sand melts into the sea eventually…
Jimi Hendrix https://t.co/tuQrPFUDcN
— Alco Guerrero (@Alco_Guerrero) September 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/gabriellanatal_/status/1308637001344720897
Kapit lang dolomite https://t.co/sAevkruCM9
— Jules Guiang (@julesguiang) September 23, 2020
Blogger Jover Laurio—known online as PinoyAkoBlog—even tagged Manila mayor Isko Moreno.
Hi Yorme @IskoMoreno ! Mukha na ba siyang Copacobana? 🥴🥴🥴 https://t.co/n1EGnPWrMJ
— Jover Laurio (@PinoyAkoBlog) September 23, 2020
Earlier, Moreno said the white sand beach—which he dubbed “Manila Bay Sands”, a play on Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands hotel—is expected to help businesses along Roxas Boulevard thanks to the influx of visitors the beach is expected to bring.
Critics of the beach rehabilitation project have said that dumping crushed dolomite on the shores of Manila Bay was a superficial solution to the area’s problems with pollution.
The DENR, however, assured critics that the project is sound and that they would go after the contractor should the crushed dolomite either get washed out or cause damage to marine life—both in the bay and in Cebu, where the dolomite is sourced from.
