Lawmaker files resolution to probe Manila Bay’s dolomite beach

A RESOLUTION seeking a congressional probe into the environmental impact of the controversial Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach was filed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

Filed by Party-list Rep. Terry L. Ridon, House Resolution No. 56 seeks to determine if the artificial white sand project had an effect on beach nourishment and coastal restoration of Manila Bay.

The inquiry would also assess whether the beach project contributed to flooding in nearby areas and if its cost aligns with similar beach nourishment efforts by the government, he added. It would also aim to determine if officials involved in the project may bear criminal or administrative liabilities.

“We will undertake a full congressional inquiry, determine criminal and administrative liability, and hold every government official directly involved in the origination, planning, and implementation of this project accountable,” Mr. Ridon said in a statement.

The 500-meter stretch of white beach along Manila Bay cost P389 million and was named after the artificial sand made from crushed dolomite. The project was launched under the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and promoted as part of efforts to rehabilitate and beautify the bay.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando S. Artes earlier this week blamed the beach project as among the main contributors of flooding along a major thoroughfare in Manila. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio