INQUIRER photo / RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Pangilinan is seeking an investigation on the controversial Manila Bay white sand project, which he described as wasteful and unnecessary.
Under Senate Resolution No. 565, Pangilinan pointed out that the project cost around P389 million, a figure that the senator said could have been used for other services.
“This project is wasteful and unnecessary. Dapat ginamit ang milyon-milyong pondo para i-supplement ang ating pandemic health response, o kaya para sa distance learning gadgets at materials ng mga guro at estudyante,” Pangilinan said.
(We should have used the multi-million peso fund to supplement our pandemic health response, or address issues on distance learning gadgets and materials of our teachers and students.)
“Pwede rin sanang cash aid para sa milyong mga Pilipino na nawalan ng trabaho ngayong pandemya,” he added.
(It could also be a cash aid for the millions of Filipinos who lost their jobs in this pandemic.)
Sen. Francis Pangilinan (Screen grab/ Senate PRIB)
“Napakaraming ibang dapat gastusan ng pera ng bayan, hindi ang white beach project sa Manila Bay. Lumampas na sa 380,000 ang COVID cases, marami nang dumaan na malalakas na bagyo, pero pinipilit pa rin na tama ito. Ang tanong: Kailangan ba talaga ito?” Pangilinan said in a statement on Friday.
(The money could have bene used for something else, not the white beach project in Manila Bay. There are now more than 380,000 COVID-19 cases, typhoons have passed, yet we are still insisting this was correct. Do we need this?)
Heatlh issues
Further, Pangilinan said that the upper chamber should look into the possible environmental and health hazards of the project in Manila Bay, adding that there are concerns regarding the project’s sustainability and legality.
‘More problems’
The senator said the upper chamber should also check possible liability of erring government officials involved in the said project, with probable violations of laws such as the Local Government Code, the Philippine Fisheries Code, the Wildlife Conservation Act, the Environmental Impact Assessment System, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
“Hindi lang sa Manila Bay ang problema kundi na rin sa pagmimina ng mga dolomite sa Alcoy, Cebu na posibleng ikinasira ng mga coral reefs at pagkawala ng tirahan ng ilang endangered species. Sa madaling sabi, mas maraming problema pa itong dinala kesa solusyon sana,” Pangilinan said.
“Sayang ang pera, parang pinaanod lang sa dagat,” he added.
Earlier, Senator Leila de Lima filed a similar resolution calling for a Senate probe on the Manila Bay white sand makeover project.
De Lima said that the budget for the project could have been used to feed 5.2 million hungry families, or help boost the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response.