HINDI totoong P389 milyon ang ginastos ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sa proyektong pagtabon ng dinurog na dolomite sa gilid ng Manila Bay, kundi P28 milyon.

Idiniin ito ng tagapagsalita ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) na si Usec. Jonathan Malaya upang ipagtanggol ang DENR sa ‘inimbentong pondo’ ng mga kritiko ng proyektong dolomite.

Ani Malaya, ang P28 milyon ay perang inilabas ng DENR “[t]hat already covers the price of dolomite sand, [its] transportation cost, taxes and other fees. That’s the package of the cost, including [the] delivery from Cebu to Manila Bay. It’s not P389 million, but P28 million.”

Nagsalita si Malaya tungkol sa isyu dahil si DILG Secretary Eduardo Año ay vice – chairman ng Manila Bay Task Force.

Ipinaalam din kamakailan ni DENR Usec. Benny Antiporda na ang multimilyong pondo para sa rehabilitasyon, pagsasaayos at pagpapaganda ng Manila Bay ay kasama sa 2019 General Appropriations Act bilang “special purpose fund.”

Tiniyak ni Antiporda na hindi ipatitigil at iaatras ng DENR ang proyektong pagsasaayos at pagpapaganda ng Manila Bay.

Ang proyekto ay ipinag-utos ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa DENR.

“The project was approved by Congress under the 2019 General Appropriations Act, it underwent competitive biddingunder Republic Act 9184 and was awarded prior to the global pandemic. The government cannot simply stop a project when it is already under contractual obligation to proceed.

We also have a responsibility to clean up and rehabilitate Manila Bay for ourselves and future generations,” pahayag naman ni Malaya.

Hindi pondong bahagi ng pangsugpo sa coronavirus 2019 – (COVID – 19) ang P28 milyon, patuloy ng opisyal.

“We urge the critics to study the issue first before they make baseless allegations against worthwhile government projects. We welcome any investigation into this project whether in the courts of justice or in the court of public opinion. All this criticism is misplaced,” susog pa niya.

Iginiit naman ni Sec. Año na itinuwid na ng Department of Health (DOH) ang unang pahayag nito na delikado sa kalusugan ang alikabok ng dolomite.

“Moreover, the Department of Health (DOH) has already clearly stated that the dolomite used in Baywalk is bigger than dust, which doesn’t get suspended in air, and therefore is not harmful to individuals. Once the project is completed, we invite the public to enjoy the rehabilitated and nourished beach and see for themselves if it is harmful,” paliwanag ni Año. (NELSON S. BADILLA)