DENR: Dolomite in Manila Bay will not totally wash out

The artificial white sand or crushed dolomite covers the shoreline of Manila Bay near the US Embassy portion along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. In this photo taken on September 18, 2020, tractors working double time as part of the rehabilitation plan of the government. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The crushed dolomite laid over a portion of Manila Bay will not totally wash out despite strong waves, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) assured Friday.

During the Senate deliberations on the 2021 budget of DENR, Undersecretary Jonas Leones assured that there had been “engineering interventions” put in place to ensure that the dolomite sand would stay in the area it was overlayed.

“Kung permanently wash out, palagay ko hindi naman [mangyayari] dahil we have already instituted engineering works, intervention such as geotubes,” he said.

(I think it will not permanently wash out because we instituted engineering works, interventions such as geotubes.)

“Ibig sabihin kahit malakas yung [waves], doon lang sa perimeter naglalaro ‘yung sand like the normal beaches,” Leones added.

(Even though waves are strong, the sand would just stay within the perimeter.)

The DENR, likewise, refuted claims that the crushed dolomite is hazardous to the health and to the environment.

At present, the DENR has stopped putting crushed dolomite on the baywalk as it has encountered problems with the private contractor and supplier of the crushed mineral rocks.

However, once there is a supply of dolomite sand, Leones said the DENR will continue using dolomite in improving the bay area as it believes it is an “enhancer of the sand in Manila Bay.”

“Kaya natigil, nagkaroon ng problema sa transaction sa private contractor ng dolomite at nagkaroon ng violation ‘yung supplier sa  Cebu,” Leones said.

(We encountered problems with the transaction with the private contractor and the supplier in Cebu committed a violation.)

“Kung magkaroon ng available na dolomite, we can still continue because we believe that dolomite is an enhancer of the sand in the Manila Bay,” he added.

(If there is available dolomite, we can still continue because we believe that dolomite is an enhancer of the sand in the Manila Bay.)

JPV