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Today in ‘Nobody Asked for This’: DENR Is Planning to Turn Manila Bay Shores into White Sand Beaches

So “Manila Bay” has been trending on Twitter all afternoon, and not exactly for great reasons. After photos of mountains of white sand piled along a portion of Baywalk started circulating online, netizens were puzzled — then later enraged, after learning about what was exactly happening. Here’s what you need to know about the white sand Manila Bay project.

 

It’s part of the DENR’s rehabilitation plan for Manila Bay

Rehabilitating Manila Bay has been one of the pet projects of this administration, with well-documented clean-up drives that have resulted in impressive before-and-after photos. While cleaning up Manila Bay and its surrounding waterways is an important undertaking that almost everyone can get behind, the general public had no idea that turning the Baywalk into white sand beaches was part of the plan. And now that we know about it, many of us aren’t pleased.

 

Let’s be clear: this isn’t actually white sand

Many netizens have criticized the government for transplanting white sand from Cebu and bringing them to Manila, effectively ruining beaches in a different region to benefit the capital’s image. But transporting white sand is illegal in the Philippines. DENR USec. Benny Antiporda has clarified that the “white sand” that’s now waiting along Manila Bay isn’t natural white sand, but ground-up dolomite rocks from Cebu.

 

Why white sand?

Like the turquoise waters that went viral back in March, white sand isn’t natural to Manila Bay. So why exactly is the DENR covering 500 meters of Baywalk with synthetic white sand? According to USec. Antiporda, the white sand would deter people from littering on the beach, keeping Manila Bay cleaner in the long run.

Logical? Not really. Here’s why:

 

This doesn’t address the real problem

The main reason that Manila Bay is so dirty is because of its surrounding waters. You can clean it up all you want, but the trash and grime and sewage will still make its way to Manila Bay unless we start doing something about the surrounding waterways and start regulating the industries built along the bay more strictly.

 

In short, it’s a band-aid “solution”

Putting synthetic white sand on Manila Bay won’t get rid of Manila Bay’s pollution. Let’s not mince words: it’s a superficial action that doesn’t actually solve any problems. What’s going to happen to the white sand once typhoon season rolls around again? Are we just going to keep throwing our nation’s money away just for ~aesthetic~?

 

Manila Bay doesn’t need whitewashing

Yes, white sand beaches are pretty and all, but that doesn’t mean that white = better. It’s 2020, we shouldn’t have to say this anymore. Instead of whitewashing an entire beach, let’s just focus on keeping Manila Bay clean, please?

 

Manila Bay has natural beauty, too

Most Pinoys may not be aware of this, but there was once a time when Manila Bay wasn’t the polluted cesspool that it is today. We can still turn things around and restore its natural beauty. Synthetic white sand isn’t needed.

 

TL;DR: Science says wat

We’re pretty certain that there are competent scientists in DENR who know that this isn’t a real solution. Here’s hoping that the powers-that-be start listening to their voices.

 

What do you think of this Manila Bay white sand project?

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Though a chronic dabbler in whatever tickles her fancy, Cristina claims she can count her passions on one hand: feminism, literature, the environment, cat videos, and the power of a solid pop song. She lives in Uniqlo lounge pants and refuses to leave the house without a winged eye.

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  1. Pingback: Suggestions for the P389-M Manila Bay White Sand Fund | 8List.ph

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