MANILA ‘BORACAY’ – Workers continue to pour “white sand” from crushed dolomite boulders over the 500 meter stretch of Manila bay, part of the DENR’s Manila bay rehabilitation project aimed at discouraging people from littering in the ocean that has now drawn ire from advocates.
INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque defended on Monday the controversial “white sand” makeover in Manila Bay, saying he was “happy” with the project which will beautify the area.
“Ako po ay pinanganak sa Philippine General Hospital at as a Manila resident, I am happy na magkakaroon po tayo ng beautification of Manila Bay kasi kaming mga taga-Maynila, kinakailangan naman e magkaroon din ng access sa magandang beach sa mga panahon na hindi naman po puwedeng lumabas ng Metro Manila,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.
(I was born at the PGH and as a Manila resident, I am glad that there is a Manila Bay beautification project. The people of Manila also need access to a beautiful beach especially now that there are travel restrictions.)
“Ako po’y nagsasabi nagagalak po ako natutuwa po ako na merong magandang atraksyon ngayon sa siyudad ko dito sa Maynila,” he added.
(I am glad that there is a new attraction in the City of Manila.)
Earlier, Vice President Leni Robredo said it was insensitive for the government to pursue the “white sand” project when it cannot even provide financial assistance to the poorest families.
She added that the physical beautification of Manila Bay sends a wrong message when the country’s economy is reeling from the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Robredo said the project’s budget of P349 million could have been channeled to a P5,000 financial aid package for 80,000 families.
But Roque pointed out that the budget for the said project has already been allocated under the 2020 national budget, which he said was approved even before COVID-19 broke out.
“Itong planong pong maglagay ng white sand sa Manila Bay, ito po’y kabahagi nung budget para sa 2020. Ibig sabihin inapprubahan po ito 2019. Hindi naman po natin inasahan na magkakaroon ng COVID-19. So, alam niyo naman ang rule sa budget, kapag po iyan ay nasa line item, ‘yan lang po ang pwedeng paggamitan ng pondo,” the Palace official said.
(The budget for the project is included in the 2020 national budget. It was approved in 2019.We did not expect to encounter the COVID-19 pandemic. Budget rules also state that if it is a line item, the money can only be spent for that specific purpose.)
“So it’s not as if plinano po itong proyektong ito ngayong panahon ng COVID-19, hindi po. 2020 budget na ginagamit natin para sa proyektong ito 2019 pa po na-approve, wala pa pong COVID noon,” he added.
(The project was not planned amid the pandemic. The budget was approved in 2019.)
Further, he said that aside from “beautifying” Manila Bay, the project being undertaken by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources also aims to prevent soil erosion and help with flood control.
“Although, it is primarily beautification, meron din pong dahilan kung bakit ginawa yan…This is an anti-soil erosion project,” he added.