Activists bike, jog vs Manila ‘white sand’ project

MANILA, Philippines — The militant group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday held a “jogging and biking vs dolomite dumping” protest along the Manila baywalk in Roxas Boulevard, in protest against the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ “beach nourishment” project which involves the dumping of crushed dolomite “white sand” along the 500-meter stretch of baywalk.

Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chair, said they fear the ill-advised beautification project could be a prelude to reclamation projects which would be destructive to the marine environment, and detrimental to the livelihood of small fisher folk.

Pamalakaya said the project was not part of the 2008 Supreme Court order which directed several government agencies to rehabilitate and restore Manila Bay. —Patricia Denise M. Chiu