Parts of Manila Bay to be fenced off — DENR undersecretary

Manila Bay. Photo by Edward Lustan / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Parts of Manila Bay will be fenced off following the surge of people who swam in its waters, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said on Tuesday.

“Pababakuran po ‘yan(They’ll be fencing it off) to give way to the rehabilitation,” Antiporda said in an interview on ABS-CBN’s “Bandila.”

Antiporda said that the stretch of Baywalk in Roxas Boulevard from the US Embassy until the Manila Yacht Club will be fenced off.

“Buong Baywalk po yan eh irerenovate po siya to become a world class baywalk po. As of the meantime, mula po doon sa may US Embassy hanggang doon po sa Yacht Club muna ang babakuran,” he said.

(The entire Baywalk will be renovated to become world-class. For the meantime, the area starting from the US Embassy until the Manila Yacht Club will be fenced off.)

The DENR Undersecretary said they are also planning to fence off the area of Baseco and Isla Puting Bato near the Manila Bay.

“Malamang isusunod po ‘yung sa Baseco area dahil meron din po roon pati po sa may Isla Puting Bato ginawa rin pong beach dahil nung malinis na rin,” Antiporda said.

(We will eventually do the same with the Baseco and the Isla Puting Bato areas because they’re treating it like a beach now that it’s clean.)

The Department of Health has advised the public against swimming in Manila Bay because “it still needs to undergo testing for chemical and physical quality, and coliform levels.”

READ: Manila Bay not yet safe for swimming – DOH 

Various government agencies, led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), kicked off its clean-up campaign for Manila Bay last month. /je

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