It will be nice to look at, but there are several issues being raised in connection with the ongoing creation of a “white beach” along Manila’s Baywalk: the cost and timing of the construction, and its sustainability.
As the government responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country keeps sinking deeper into debt. In this public health and economic crisis, can the country afford the P349-million price tag for the Boracay in Manila project? Environment officials have said the project was conceptualized as part of the Manila Bay cleanup that began last year, and funding was appropriated in the 2020 budget, long before the coronavirus disease 2019 struck.
Officials are hoping that the 500-meter stretch of manmade white beach, with the water clean and safe enough for swimming, will serve as a model for bayfront communities around Manila Bay to undertake and maintain their own coastal cleanup and rehabilitation.
One concern is how long the area can serve as a model. Keeping the shoreline clean and the water quality safe for swimming will require sustained compliance with sewage and solid waste management regulations, not just along the bay but also all over Metro Manila, where most of the rivers and tributaries wash out into the bay.
There are also concerns that the meter-high layer of “white sand” – actually crushed dolomite boulders shipped to Manila from Cebu – might simply be washed away in the next storm surge to hit the bay.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau says Geotubes – a type of marine construction technology – will hold the crushed dolomite in place to prevent erosion into the sea. The MGB has also brushed aside a warning from the Department of Health, that the dolomite particles could pose health risks. It can be risky, the MGB said, only if you inhale the particles. The bureau pointed out that dolomite is sourced from the sea and the crushed particles consist of calcium magnesium carbonate, which will contribute to “bay nourishment.”
The government has pointed out that crushed dolomite has also been used in creating manmade beaches in Cebu, Singapore and France. Environment officials have said they are prepared to explain and defend the project before any forum. With the project tentatively set to be opened by Sept. 19, they must also prepare for investigations and possible indictments in case something goes wrong.
Related video: