Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Spokesperson Undersecretary Benny Antiporda has apologized to the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UPMSI) and said that they will still collaborate with the institute.
DENR USec. Antiporda has called the UPMSI as “bayaran (paid)”, reacting to the institute’s criticism regarding the Manila Bay white sand.
“Hindi ninyo karapatang batikusin ito dahil bayaran kayo! (It is not your right to criticize this because you have been paid!)”
The UPMSI is one of the critical groups that questioned the spread of dolomite sand on the Manila Bay Beach. Cleaning the water and the continuously decreasing its coliform level must be prioritized instead.
Following his accusation, USec. Antiporda has issued his public apology stating that “there’s no bad intention in that statement. Ang masakit lang po ay natangay po ng emosyon ang aking statement (what hurts is my statement got carried away by my emotion) so I do apologize for that. We will collaborate, [cooperate] when it comes to Manila Bay.”
UPMSI Director Dr. Laura David has accepted Antiporda’s apology and shared that the UP has “always worked well with DENR.” She added that the incident was only “a misconception on his part and a miscommunication.”
The DENR Spokesperson also disclosed earlier that the group has received a generous amount of funds from the DENR for consultations and other projects that shocked him. He made the claim when the institute released a study against the dolomite project in Manila Bay.
However, the UPMSI has clarified that “the correct amount is PhP364,073,909.40 total for the last decade, spanning ten collaborative projects between the UPMSI and the DENR as well as co-sponsorship support for a scientific symposium. This is hardly the half a billion the Undersecretary has been claiming. It is simply the cost of the collaborative projects for which the DENR had the need for the expertise of the UPMSI.”
The UPMSI assured that it will continuously disclose results on its studies regarding marine biology in the country as part of their mandate.
Report from Naomi Tiburcio
