The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will deploy additional survey equipment for its Manila Bay rehabilitation efforts to help ensure the safety of its personnel following the recent discovery of a vintage bomb on the seabed.
While the agency uses ground-penetrating radars in its dredging operations, these devices can only detect metals, pipes and spaces underground, said DPWH Bureau of Equipment head Toribio Noel Ilao.
Over the weekend, DPWH personnel dug up a vintage bomb while dredging a section of the bay near the United States Embassy in Manila.
“The water quality of Manila Bay is already hazardous. The unearthed vintage bomb is on another level. Hence, we have to intensify our measures to further protect our hardworking crew,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said on Thursday.
Ilao said they had also oriented their safety workers on what to do if explosives would be dug up again.