Palace defends funding for Manila Bay’s white sand: ‘It’s a soil erosion project’

By Prince Golez

Malacañang on Monday again defended the move to fill Manila Bay with artificial white sand, clarifying that the budget for the project was allocated before the coronavirus (Covid-19) became a pandemic.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque issued the statement after Vice President Leni Robredo said the budget allotted for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) white sand project in Manila Bay could have been used for Covid-19-related efforts.

“Unang-una, ito namang planong maglagay ng white sand sa Manila Bay ay kabahagi nung budget para sa 2020. Ibig sabihin, inaprubahan ito 2019. Hindi naman po natin inasahan na magkakaroon ng Covid-19,” Roque said in a televised briefing.

“Alam niyo naman na ang rule sa budget, kapag yan po’y nasa line item, yan naman ang pupuwedeng paggamitan ng pondo. So, it’s not as if plinano ang project na ito ngayong panahon ng COVID,” according to him.

The Palace official also said the dumping of white sand along the shore of Manila Bay is a soil erosion project to help prevent flooding.

“Although it’s primarily beautification meron din pong dahilan kung bakit ginawa yan. It is a soil erosion project at it is part of an overall adaptation policy of DENR,” added Roque.

“Wag naman tayo maabala na hindi alam ng DENR ang kanilang ginagawa dahil sila ang nag-a-approve ng mga environmental impact assessments atsaka mga environmental impact studies. Alam naman nila kung ano ang dapat gawin at hindi dapat gawin,” he concluded.

The post Palace defends funding for Manila Bay’s white sand: ‘It’s a soil erosion project’ first appeared on Latest Philippine politics news today.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)