The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) explained that the artificial white sand has been only covered by black sand and not washed out amid circulating images of Manila Bay’s new look.
“Nakita po na puro kasinungalingan po ang lumabas na nag-wash out ang white sand natin. Ang nangyari po talaga ay wash in (The claims that it was washed out are all lies. What happened was a wash-in),” DENR USec. Benny Antiporda lambasted.
“Walang na-wash out. Hindi po nabawasan iyong ating white dolomite. Nadagdagan tayo ng black sand galing sa ilalim ng dagat (Nothing was washed out. The white dolomite was not lessened. Black sand was only added from under the sea),” Antiporda explained.
Antiporda said that the rehabilitation of bay is still far from over. The project’s 500-meter target has yet to be completed. Only 120 meters has been filled with crushed dolomite so far.
The fecal coliform level on the waters of the bay has declined to 9,200 from 62,000 in 2018. The DENR is aiming to cut down fecal coliform level in Manila Bay to 200 by the end of 2020.
More than 10,000 metric tons of garbage have been collected in Manila Bay since the issuance of mandamus by the Supreme Court in 2008 for the rehabilitation of the area.
Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta who visited the area on Wednesday along with other DENR officials said the deliberations on the case filed by Anakbayan Party-list against the DENR are set on the first week of November.
Meanwhile, Antiporda is seeking an investigation to be conducted by the Commission on Audit (COA) on the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines for its alleged billing of funds to study the rehabilitation.
“Base sa pag-aaral ng inyong lingkod, kalahating bilyon ang binayaran namin sa kanila simula 2016 hanggang taong ito. Kalahating bilyon na puro lang konsultasyon (Based on my research, half a billion were paid to them from 2016 until now. Half billion for pure consultation),” Antiporda claimed.
“Ang UP, sa buong pagkakaalam natin ay libre dapat ‘yan. Bakit kayo naniningil sa gobyerno matapos kayong pag-aralin ng taumbayan? Matapos kayong maging iskolar ng taumbayan, sisipsipin niyo ang dugo ng taumbayan sa dami ng kinuha niyong pondo? (From what we know, [the services of] UP should be free. Why would you charge the government after you were sent to school by the people? After being scholars of the people, why would you suck the blood out of the public with all the funds you acquired?)” Antiporda questioned. – Report from Louisa Erispe
