Michelle Anne A. Lizarondo, @kaaksyon_michy BAJ 3A | PublicAksyon Posted on October 7, 2022
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) leads the cleanup operation in Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach, during the observance of the International Cleanup Day last September 17, 2020.
DENR Volunteers clean up the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach last September 17, 2022, in ICC Day. 📷 Ali Vicoy, Manila Bulletin
Approximately 4,000 volunteers help in the clean-up activity that gathered over 4,500 sacks of garbage in the 500-meter Dolomite Beach area
On every third Saturday of September DENR annually do the activity, as the theme of this year is “Fighting for Trash Free Seas-Pilipinas: Ending the Flow of Trash at the Source,” in Metro Manila that it became one of eight DENR clean-up activities with ICC Day.
Based on the DENR-Metropolitan Environmental Office (MEO) West OIC Director Rodelina de Villa the gathered garbages are motley consisted of dried water hyacinth, marine debris, and plastic bottle.
“Volunteers from government, private organizations, and private individuals came to the Baywalk’s coastline with their own garbage bags as well,” she said last Friday, Sept. 30 in the statement released.
She added that the DENR Central Office provided a 3,000 of the 4,500 sacks along with the Manila Bay Coordinating Office (MBCO) as the DENR-National Capital Region includes the supply of 1,500 trash bags of DENR-MEO West.
The National and Local governments also participated as they obtained further trash bags, the private organizations also helps with activity together with the Manila City government, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Philippine Army, the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Philippine National and Police-Maritime Group.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) gathers non-biodegradable trash on September 17, 2022, as part of a coastal cleanup operation at Manila's Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach. 📷 PCG
As The Philippine Coast Guard gained at least up to 1,000 sacks of non-biodegradable waste materials as it spearheaded a coastal clean-up.
The commander of the PCG’S Marine Environmental Protection Command, Admiral Roberto Patrimonio led the command's effort to have part in the celebration of the International Coastal Clean-Up Day 2022.
PCG said that The International Coastal Clean-up Drive is vital as it promotes and unites countries and people with one common objective which is to take care of our environment by maintaining the cleanliness of our shorelines, rivers, lakes, and other waterways.
As early as 6 AM coast guardians picked up the strands and pieces of trash that were washed on the artificial white sand brace, as they are wearing their casual shirts and shorts with the trademark colors orange and black.
310 coast guards engaged in the project, together with officials from the PCG Auxiliary, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Heirs of the World Inc., Hotel 101 Manila, the Climate Change Commission, and the Eagles Club.
The nationwide PCG stations all participated in the coastal clean-up effort at the same time.
Other incorporation and federation also took a part in this event like Maynilad Water Services Inc., Manila Water Company Inc., and the Dragon Boat Federation of the Philippines.
De Villa stated that the Manila Baywalk exemplifies the collaboration required among all sectors to address coastal litter through targeted beach cleanup activities.
“However big and daunting the task is, we can make a difference by bringing communities and people together to clean up beaches. Proof of this are organizations and individuals coming together at the Baywalk Dolomite Beach,” he said.
DENR-MEO-West data shows a total of 147,9 39 sacks of solid waste have been collected in cleanup activities that happened from July 12 to Sept. 14.
Over the previous years, Manila Bay Dolomite Beach became controversial, where last September 7, 2020, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the “white sand” of the Manila Bay makeover will give benefit Filipino’s mental health.
Roque made this statement in response to criticism of the project from some who claim that money intended for Manila Bay's rehabilitation should have gone for the government's COVID-19 response.
“I don’t buy that argument. Kasi alam mo, sa gitna ng pandemya, kinakailangan din na pangalagaan ang mental health,” Roque stated in an interview.
(I don’t buy that argument. Because you know, in the middle of a pandemic, caring for the people’s mental health is also a need)
“I think ‘yung pagpapasyal sa mga lugar gaya ng Manila Bay na may white beach, hindi mo maqua-quantify ang epekto nyan pagdating sa mental health ng ating mga kababayan,” he also stated.
(I think going to places like Manila Bay that has a white beach, you cannot quantify its effect when it comes to the mental health of our people)
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Roque claimed that money had already been set up for the restoration of Manila Bay.
“Right now, Manila Bay is known for its sunset, probably the best sunset in the world. With the white beach there, it will be one of the most picturesque sceneries in the whole world,” Roque added in her old interview about the dolomite beach.
Manila Bay’s completion of Dolomite ‘white sand' project last June 14, 2021. 📷 Erwin Dizon, CNN
According to CNN Philippines, the program covers the cleanup of the Bay area as well as the controversial overlaying of artificial white sand on the beach, for a whopping ₱389 million.
Both government officials and common folks have been criticizing the fund designated for the disposal of broken dolomite rocks.
For instance, Leni Robredo, a former vice president, called the DENR's focus on neighborhood beautification during the height of the epidemic "insensitive."
On April 13 of last year, numerous trucks dropped fresh dolomite onto the Manila "Dolomite Beach" close to Roxas Boulevard. An artificial white sand beach is part of the P389 million government attempt to rehabilitate Manila Bay. Malacaang has long supported the problematic disposal of crushed dolomite in the area.
📷 Grig C. Montegrande, Philippine Daily Inquirer
Several environmentalists questioned the DENR project, referring to it as "artificial rehabilitation" with a cosmetic aim.
And as the Department of Health said that the dolomite dust can cause respiratory ailments and other health hazards
Scientists asked the government to focus on combating the COVID-19 outbreak rather than adding more crushed dolomite to Manila Bay's "white beach," which they claimed would damage the ecology.
“What is more important now is to address the growing anxiety over the failed COVID-19 pandemic response of the Duterte government. Why don’t the government use the fund for the dolomite project, instead, to buy and develop more testing kits in order to implement free mass testing?” Agham said in a statement.
With all the criticism that dolomite received according to scientists and various environmental organizations, the Advocates of Science and Technology for the People collectively known as Agham lamented how the DENR said that what is more important now is to address the growing anxiety over the failed COVID-19 pandemic response of the Duterte government. Why don’t the government use the fund for the dolomite project, instead, to buy and develop more testing kits in order to implement free mass testing?
“The government is literally throwing money into the sea – money which could have otherwise been put to good use with the pandemic response, such as improved hospital facilities, vaccine procurement, and economic aid,” Agham said in the previous article about the fund of dolomite beach.
Agham also added that at a time when new COVID-19 cases and the death toll are rising, the filling of sand in Manila Bay is a glaring insult to Filipinos suffering from this health crisis.
Agham asserts that the water quality in Manila Bay is "dangerous levels of coliform," rendering it unfit for recreational use.
The DENR has stated that it would not halt the project despite various concerns since it is a crucial component of the long-term efforts to restore Manila Bay.
As it also concludes that effectively curbing the spread of the pandemic will surely contribute positively to our mental health.
With the connected topic of this article, The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has earmarked at least P1.5 billion for the restoration of Manila Bay in 2023, according to a ranking official of the DENR.
According to Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones, they are dependent on the budget being provided to them by Congress. Based on the mandamus order from the Supreme Court, they have a legal framework to clean Manila Bay and for 2023, they are focusing on the river systems.
"We are asking the help of DILG Secretary [Benjamin] Benhur Abalos to require barangay to stop the garbage accumulation in the water tributaries," Leones state.
As the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) should tap barangay and the villages to stop disposing of their garbage in the waterways, Leones indicated.
Before giving the Department of Tourism (DoT) or the municipal government of Manila control of Dolomite beach, he continued, the Environment department will continue to restore it.
The areas that are currently contributing to the pollution of Manila Bay are Metro Manila, Region 3 (Central Luzon), and Region 4-A to Calabarzon or Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon).
The Dolomite Beach in Manila Bay has a coliform level of 2,400 most likely numbers (mpn) per 100 milliliters (ml), which is more than the acceptable limit of 100 mpn per 100 ml, which is recognized as safe for swimming, and Leones agreed that it is impossible to generate water at this location.
"We cannot meet our target as so far, the lowest coliform level at the baywalk is at 2,400 (mpn per 100 ml)," Leones stated.
But he asserted that the Dolomite beach's water quality had significantly improved since the restoration when levels of coliform were in the billions.
He also added that before the rehabilitation, Manila Bay was really polluted with billions of coliform levels. They cleaned the bottom of the Manila Bay."
Keywords:
DENR
Manila Baywalk
Dolomite Beach
cleanup
garbage
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