Robredo: Timing, not legality, makes Manila Bay white sand project wrong

The white sand project along Manila Bay, which used crushed dolomite, was wrong as it was done amid limited government resources in the middle of COVID-19 pandemic, Vice President Leni Robredo said Friday.

Robredo was referring to the P389 million beach nourishment project which includes adorning Manila Bay with white sand.

“Kahit wala itong hazard, walang corruption, walang environmental damage, dahil sa timing, hindi pa rin okay. Maraming nagugutom, maraming nangangailangan ng tulong. Makikita nating insensitive sa kahirapan,” Robredo said in a Basta Batas forum.

“For us to spend this much amount to a project which has nothing to do with a COVID-19 pandemic, ano ba? Pinapakita na walang sense of urgency amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added.

The Manila Bay white sand attraction was opened to the public last week, prompting people to crowd the area to take photos and the Health department raising alarm due to non-observance of social distancing and other minimum health standards in place amid the COVID-19 threat.

Robredo stressed the fact that P25 billion of the P165 billion Bayanihan 2 law is a standby fund—meaning an allocation to be funded if budget becomes available—shows that the white sand project should have not been considered in the first place.

Bayanihan 2 law is a sequel to Bayanihan 1 which both allowed the President to realign funds under the 2020 national budget to address the COVID-19 threat.

“Sinasabi sa atin na wala tayong pera. Kaya nga may standby fund iyong Bayanihan 2 law kasi wala na tayong pera…tapos mayroon nitong [white sand in Manila Bay]…very contradictory,” Robredo said.

Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda has responded to critics by appealing to give the project a chance, maintaining that it is legal and does not get in the way of the government’s COVID-19 response.

Some of the dolomite sand put in parts of the Manila Bay were washed away by recent rains, prompting the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to put sandbags in the area.—AOL, GMA News