MANILA, Philippines — Manila Baywalk’s 500-meter Dolomite Beach will soon be completed, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officer-in-charge Jim Sampulna said yesterday.
The DENR earlier opened a 140-meter stretch of the beach to visitors, Sampulna said, and it will be easy to cover the remaining portion of the beach with artificial white sand.
“We can now see the beauty of Manila Bay. I intend to continue that project because that is our commitment to President (Duterte),” Sampulna said.
Sampulna took over the post of DENR chief after Secretary Roy Cimatu’s recent resignation due to health reasons.
The DENR also bared its plan for the beach to be swimmable by the early part of the year.
DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones said the quality of the water coming from major drainage outfalls discharging into Manila Bay is being continuously monitored.
He added they observed that the water quality from these outfalls improved by 50 percent.
Data from the Manila Bay Coordinating Office (MBCO) showed that the Baywalk area, which is a priority for rehabilitation, recorded an average of 21,100 most probable number per 100 milliliters as of the third quarter of 2021 from 5.75 million mpn/100 mL in 2019.
Four key stations in the Baseco beach area registered a decrease in coliform level from an overall geomean of 145,000 mpn/100 mL in 2020 to 21,500 mpn/100 mL in September 2021.
The MBCO also reported that in September 2021, the Baywalk sewage treatment plant – which treats wastewater from the Padre Faura, Remedios and Estero de San Antonio de Abad outfalls – received an influent of 8.8 million mpn/100mL and released an effluent of 9.4 mpn/100ml, passing the fecal coliform standard of 100 mpn/100mL for Class SB waters (fit for swimming and recreation).
Those interested in visiting the beach are advised to register online with the DENR Manila Bay Dolomite Beach Appointment System (http://denrncrys.online).