DOH raises alarm over mass gathering at Manila Bay "white sand" attraction

The Department of Health (DOH) expressed alarm Monday over the crowding of people along Manila Bay over the weekend to check out the dolomite white sand there amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire flagged the activity which showed people under 21 years old and senior citizens, who are prohibited from going outside due to vulnerabilities to COVID-19, flocking the area without observance of social distancing.

The Manila Bay “white sand” beach was opened to the public over the weekend to mark the International Coastal Cleanup Day. The event was led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“Nakakabahala ang sitwasyon. Hindi pa nawawala ang virus,” Vergeire said in an online briefing.

“Kailangan pa rin i-implement ang minimum health standards. Kailangan mapaalalahanan ang ating mga kababayan na delikado itong sitwasyon,  puwedeng magkaroon ng pagkakahawa-hawa kapag hindi ipinatupad ang minimum health standards,” she added.

Vergeire said that the DOH has since touched base with the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to increase deployment of policemen in the area to ensure that minimum health standards are being followed.

The adorning of the Manila Bay shoreline is a part of the DENR’s P389 million beach nourishment project.

DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda has said that putting white sand along Manila Bay will discourage people from throwing trash in the water.

The cleanup of Manila Bay, however, is far from done since its coliform level remains not suitable for swimming and trash are still collected in parts of the bay on a regular basis.

The Philippines has recorded 286,743 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 229,865 recovered while 4,984 died. The number of active cases is at 51,894.—AOL, GMA News