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House inquiry on Manila dolomite beach postponed
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The House public accounts panel has postponed its inquiry on the status of the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach Project due to the unavailability of resource persons, House public accounts panel chairman and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said on Tuesday.
“Due to the unavailability of key resource persons for tomorrow’s scheduled inquiry, the House Committee on Public Accounts hearing on the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach Project is hereby postponed to a later date,” Ridon said in a statement.
Ridon added that the new date “will be announced in due course.”
A check of the House of Representatives website showed that the Nov. 19 hearing on the necessity, cost, and environmental impact of the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach project has been cancelled.
Earlier, Ridon said the House inquiry will scrutinize the project’s necessity based on the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan and the Supreme Court’s continuing mandamus for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
The following agencies will be invited:
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
- Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev)
- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
- Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and
- The local government unit (LGU) of Manila.
The artificial beach – which was previously criticized by environmental groups – was built during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 900-meter long and 60-meter wide beach was later closed for expansion, which was completed in 2022.
Back in October 2021, the DENR said the Manila Dolomite Beach Project cannot be closed down since the government already spent P389 million for it, including importing dolomite sand from Cebu.
Earlier this month, Malacañang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would not intervene in the House’s probe of the project as Marcos respects Congress’ mandate. — With reports from Tina Panganiban-Perez/JMA, GMA Integrated News
