MANILA, Philippines—Senator Leila De Lima lashed out at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) while also slamming Malcañang for the government’s decision to dump crushed dolomite in Manila Bay for a beautification project.
In a dispatch sent from Camp Crame, De Lima slammed the “idiotic inevitability” of the DENR for its decision and called the agency the “Department of Environmental Cosmetics.”
“For some idiotic inevitability, the DENR has caught the window-dressing bug of this administration and has now decided to become the Department of Environmental Cosmetics. Again, DENR’s mandate is rehabilitation, preservation, and protection of our environment. It is not a beach resort developer,” said the senator who is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame.
“Listening to Malacañang try to spin this colossal waste of public funds is both laughable and infuriating. Aside from deflecting public disapproval of spending millions of pesos on band-aid solutions in the middle of increasing hunger and joblessness, proponents of this project have the audacity to claim that this would somehow be beneficial to the mental health of Filipinos.”
The project, which costs P389 million or P795,000 per square meter, immediately drew ire from critics not only for its price but also for the materials and the timing when it was done.
Crushed dolomite was sourced from Cebu was used instead of natural white sand and the dumping of this material will cause both ecological and health problems in the surroundings with the Department of Health warning against the respiratory issues it may cause.
The Philippines is still under the grips of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic with cases still increasing by the thousands each day.
“Anong akala ninyo sa buhangin na iyan—may mahika na sa isang iglap ay kayang punuan ang kumakalam na sikmura ng mga Pilipino, may kapangyarihan na isalba ang nalulunod na mga pangarap at kinabukasan ng bayan?” said De Lima.
“Sa dami-daming nagugutom at naghihirap ito pa talaga ang inuna niyo? Hindi pa nga natin nalalagpasan ang pandemya, dagdag na sakit at peligro pa ang ihahatid ninyo?!”
(Do you think that this sand has magic powers that in one swing will feed the stomachs of hungry Filipinos? That this has the power to save the drowning dreams and future of this nation? There are so many hungry and poor Filipinos and this is what you do first? We haven’t even gone through the pandemic and now you’re bringing new sickness and dangers to the public!)
The government reasoned that the project was meant to transform Manila Bay into a version of Boracay and that it would be better for the mental health of Filipinos.
De Lima, who’s an opposition senator, blasted the administration’s argument and questioned the government’s alleged failure to listen to the people.
“Ano ba talaga ang prayoridad niyo?! Kailan ba kayo matututong makinig sa hinaing ng taumbayan?! Bigas na isasaing ang kailangan, hindi puting buhangin!” she wrote.
(What is your priority really?! When will you learn to listen to the qualms of the nation?! Rice is what’s needed and not white sand!)