DENR to reopen dolomite beach on June 12
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources plans to reopen the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach on June 12, Independence Day.
The re-opening of the controversial beach nourishment project was supposed to be in May, but was rescheduled due to infrastructure works in the area.
“We are excited to open the dolomite beach to the public again on June 12. This is the good legacy of the Duterte administration, that’s why we really aim to open it before President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s term ends," DENR Acting Secretary Jim Sampulna said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
Duterte is set to step down from office on June 30, to allow president-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to assume his post.
The opening of the dolomite beach will be held alongside the unveiling of The Heritage Canon, a World War II relic, in the Remedios area.
DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones said the 500-meter project, which forms part of the rehabilitation of the bay, will continue even after the Duterte administration, as issued by the Supreme Court in a writ of continuing mandamus in 2008.
Manila Bay Coordinating Office's Executive Director Jacob Meimban clarified, however, that those flocking to the beach can only visit the area, walk and view the sunset. Visitors are not allowed to swim in the waters since the quality is still not within the standards for swimming.
"Once it reopens, the DENR will allow 1,500 to 3,500 persons at a given time inside the 500-meter span of the dolomite beach to ensure that the minimum health protocols are strictly followed," it added.
Pre-registration is not required under Alert Level 1, but the DENR encouraged visitors to be fully inoculated against COVID-19 before their visit.
Earlier, the DENR said dolomite beach is intended to be reopened on June 3.
The project was first opened to the public in September 2020, and has withstood rains, typhoons and floods since then, Leones said.
Environment groups have been criticizing the project, which uses crushed dolomite or white sand, saying that it only focuses on beautification and does little in the actual rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
One month after it was launched, scientists from state university University of the Philippines opposed the project, which led DENR labelling those from the UP Marine Science Institute as "bayaran."
Dr. Laura David, institute director, said in response that they "stand by science." — Angelica Y. Yang
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