The Manila Bay Interagency Task Force will look for other sources of dolomite, or even white sand, from other areas now that the Cebu Provincial Government has issued a cease-and-desist order to mining companies commissioned to deliver the white sand-like backfilling materials for the P389-million beach “nourishment” project in Manila Bay.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units (LGUs) Concerns Benny D. Antiporda said they welcome Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s decision but was quick to add that the governor may have to do some explaining about the business problems in Cebu, including mining.
“It’s Cebu’s problem, not ours. We will look for other sources of dolomite, or white sand. There’s a lot of other sources from where we can get it,” Antiporda said. He said the DENR may even look for “white sand” in mouths of rivers if needed just to proceed with the project.
The P389-million contract for the project that covers the extraction of garbage and other sediments and their disposal started last year.
The overlaying of the controversial white sand, which turned out to be crushed dolomite, is the next phase along with the construction of sand trap and breakwater to prevent beach erosion and keep the sand intact.
Various cause-oriented groups have called on the Duterte administration to put a stop to the project pending social, environmental, and health studies, especially at a time when the country is facing a crisis posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
But Antiporda said neither Garcia’s cease-and-desist order nor the barrage of criticisms by detractors of President Duterte will not stop the project, which he defended as above board and free of any irregularity.
“There will be some delays, of course, but who will be shamed by this? Cebu,” he said, adding that the governor may have some explanation to do to President Duterte. Garcia’s order, the DENR official said now opens the door for the DENR to look into the province’s environmental problems.
Antiporda maintains that there’s no anomaly or irregularity involved in the project. “There’s no overpricing and there’s no corruption in this project, I assure you,” Antiporda said, defending the Department of Public Works and Highways which is the main agency in charge of the engineering intervention.
So far, he said 120 meters of the beach’s shoreline has been covered. This means that around 380 meters are still left to complete the 500-meter target.