Hindi po," Roque said. All these will erode the dolomite sand that was recently laid out on its beach, washing it off to the seabed of Manila Bay. Instagram influencers are a vaccine priority in wary Indonesia. It also aims to prevent soil erosion and help in flood control.]. Yup, she and The Bay have seen each other for many years and almost every day, from sunrise to sunset, at times from dusk to dawn if and when needed at work! MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday defended the P389-million budget for "beach nourishment" on Manila Baywalk after Vice President Leni Robredo called it … “Therefore, this beautification may only be temporary,” he added. California Sees Upbeat Budget Cushioned by $15 Billion Surplus. However, the Palace spokesperson reminded that the project's funding was approved way before the coronavirus health crisis happened, as it was part of the 2020 national budget approved last year. There was no … “The recent effort of dumping dolomite sand on a reclaimed part of Manila Bay is not the best way of spending government money; a critical resource during the pandemic that could have been put to better use by spending for the needs of medical frontliners and the millions of our hungry fellow Filipinos,” the experts said. Image courtesy of Nilad Metro Manila Environmental Network FEEDBACK: Use this … Dolomite sands in Manila Bay. Norman Cruz Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya also said the project was only worth P28 million, contrary to the P389 million posted in earlier reports. Malacañang on Thursday (Oct. 1, 2020) said the beach nourishment is just part of the rehabilitation of the entire Manila Bay. The Manila Bay Beach was constructed through the process of beach nourishment, which a common practice in the creation of beaches around the world. A Catholic bishop said that the government’s massive spending to overlay ‘white sand’ on the shores of Manila could have been better used to aid those greatly affected by the health crisis. He said this is just 6 percent of the entire budget of the Manila Bay rehabilitation effort, which is P389 million. DILG: Budget for dolomite in Manila bay white-sand project not from COVID-19 response fund Posted: 2020-Sep-15 15.36.53 UTC+0800 Manila Bay rehabilitation (Photo by DENR Dir. The said fund was given by President Rodrigo Duterte from his office’s discretionary fund in 2019 and not part of the DENR’s budget. However, hours after the announcement, the project drew the public ire. "As a Manila resident, I'm happy na magkakaroon po tayo ng beautification of Manila Bay kasi kaming mga taga-Maynila ay kinakailangan naman magkaroon din ng access, no, sa magandang beach sa mga panahon na hindi naman po pwedeng lumabas ng Metro Manila," Roque said in a virtual press briefing on Monday. "Itong beach enhancement pong ito ay para po maiwasan ang soil erosion at para makatulong din po sa flood control. The photos were taken in response to social media criticisms that the recent typhoon’s strong winds and heavy downpour could wash the dolomite rocks out into the bay. The University of the Philippines Marine Biological Society (UP MBS) also condemned the project, “which does nothing to actually improve the worsening environmental and poverty conditions of the inhabitants of Manila Bay”. ], Is PH ready to build its own warships? On September 2, the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR) unveiled its plan to form a 500-meter-long artificial white sand beach along the Roxas Boulevard coast of Manila Bay. DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda earlier said the Manila Bay rehabilitation project has a ₱389-million funding, which wasn't spent on the dolomite rocks … The Manila Bay “beach nourishment” project has a jaw-dropping budget of P389-million and social media is abuzz with the controversy. The bishop also echoed the concerns of some environmentalists that the synthetic white sand could be washed away by the waves, especially during typhoons. “Iyong budget po kasi diyan, hindi lang siya budget actually for the beach nourishment, it’s actually for the entire program of government in rehabilitating Manila Bay. © 2015 Nine Media Corp. CNN name, logo and all associated elements ™ and © 2015 Cable News Network. Banner image of dolomite sand over Manila Bay, Philippines. In September, during the height of the dolomite dumping controversy on Manila Bay, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu suspended the operations of two dolomite mining firms in Alcoy, Cebu, where government sourced the synthetic white sand. "So alam niyo naman ang rule sa budget, no, 'pag yan po ay nasa line item, yan lamang po ang pwedeng paggamitan nung pondo. The government is spending P389 million to fill Manila Bay’s gray shoreline stretching 500 meters with crushed dolomite—an anhydrous carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate—transported from Manila to Cebu province. “The use of dolomite as a substitute for white sand only means that the Manila Bay rehabilitation did not go through the right process or was studied well. Dolomite is, in fact, known as a neutralizer that lessens the acidity of sea water – the reason it is widely used in fish aquariums.” Do crushed dolomite rocks used in beach nourishment at Manila Bay pose a threat to human health? The rehabilitation project that started two years ago has drawn controversy over its … Dolomite is, therefore, not foreign to the coastal ecosystem. DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones told the Appropriations panel that the agency spent P28 million for the acquisition and transport of dolomite from a municipality in Cebu. Manila Bay (The Bay) is somewhat close to her! Metro Manila (The Philippine Patriot, September 2) — On September 2, the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR) unveiled WHITE SAND FIASCO: Dolomite and the Issues about the Manila Bay Makeover - The Philippine Patriot The Department of Environment and Natural Resources' (DENR) efforts to clean Manila Bay, including the dumping of dolomite sand along the Manila Baywalk, is … The rehabilitation project that started two years ago has drawn controversy over its cost and environmental concerns. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All rights reserved. This was in reference to the dolomite rocks that make the white sand beach which reaped controversies in the past months due to the project’s hefty costs and environmental risks. People visit a segment of the Manila Bay covered with white sand made of crushed dolomite when it opened to the public on Sept. 20, 2020. [Translation: As a Manila resident, I'm happy the beautification of Manila Bay is happening because we Manila residents also need access to nice beaches while we aren't allowed to leave Metro Manila.]. “There are many incorrect things with this project, foremost is that it is not attuned with the current predicament of our nation,” he pointed out. Running their computations with an estimated P1,000 per cubic meter of sand and P500 for labor, the group concluded that filling the 500 meters by …