SUPORTA NI ISKO SA MLA. BAY REHAB KINILALA NG CITY COUNCIL

ISANG resolusyon ang ipinasa ng Manila City Council, sa pangunguna ni Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna bilang Presiding Officer, na nagpapahayag ng buong suporta sa panig ni Manila Mayor Isko Moreno at sa kanyang pagpapaghayag ng pagkilala sa national government’s Manila Bay rehabilitation program and coastal beach nourishment na ginawa sa baywalk shoreline sa Roxas Boulevard.

Ang nasabing resolusyon na ipinasa ng buong city council at principally authored ni Councilor Don Juan ‘DJ’ Bagatsing (fourth district) at minority leader Philip Lacuna, ay nagsasaad ng: ‘this simple yet important measure now serves as the city’s official stand on the issue, further reinforcing the mayor’s favorable position earlier and is a clear indication of a unified front in Manila concerning the rehab of the bay.”

Ayon kay Bagatsing, “it is quite saddening to note that certain groups and individuals are noisily opposing such, merely to promote a fractured political agenda of divisiveness, hate and polarization by their reckless carping of false facts, fake news and outright lies on the said project.”

“Some of the untruths they had unduly claimed in public are: the alleged 389 million cost alone for white sand topping (in reality, only 28 million), the supposedly health hazardness of the sand composed of crushed dolomite (officially debunked by the DOH), the very short or temporary aspect of the white sand shorefront to be wiped out inmediately by the next storm (DENR had instituted a mechanism of geotubes to make the sand stay in place, preventing erosion, used in many parts of the world), its mere aethstetical nature and negative ecological impact (dolomite is known to cleanse water bodies, while having a beautiful baywalk coast would contribute greatly to tourism, economy, investments, job creation etc.), and lastly, the propriety of it all during a pandemic (this project began way back early last year, not just during the corona crisis period and is actually at present on its final stages),” dagdag pa ng konsehal.

Sinabi pa ni Bagatsing na layunin ng resolution na wakasan na ang : ‘unfoundedly misplaced misgivings’ straight and put to rest any doubt regarding the implementation, as well as, completion of this Manila Bay rehabilitative endeavor.’

“The real glaring truth here is, in any which way one would look at it, this undertaking along Manila Bay’s baywalk shoreline is a truly beneficial improvement, much needed and most welcome for our City, having no downside at all, with only a plethora to gain and definitely will make Manila vibrant again,” dagdag pa nito.

Sa nasabing resolusyon ay napaglaman na matapos ang isang taon at kalahati ng puspusang paglilinis at pag-aalis ng tonetoneladang basura at maduming buhangin at paglalagay ng mga kagamitang pipigil sa pagguho ng lupa sa seafronts/seawalls sa pamamagitan ng mekanismo ng geotubes, ang malawakang rehab ay malapit ng matapos at sumasailalim na ngayon sa tinatawag na beach nourishment, coastal restoration at enhancement process ng Baywalk shore strip o ng paglalatag ng white sand ( gawa sa dinurog na bulk-form dolomite) sa lawak na 120 meters long by 60 meters wide (mula US Embassy side-cove patungong Yacht Club endpoint sa Roxas Boulevard).

Nabatid na noong isang taon, ang pamahalaan, sa tinatayang budget na mahigit na P300 million, ay naglunsad ng malaki at komprehensibong proyekto na i-rehab ang Manila Bay, sa pamamagitan ng DENR at DPWH, kabilang, sa ilalim ng pang-unang hakbang, ay ang paglalagay ng solar-powered sewage treatment plant/facility at ang katabing 1.5 kilometer wastewater interceptor pipeline, ito ay bukod pa sa karagdagang major overhaul/complete repair ng Padre Faura, Remedios, at Estero de San Antonio Abad drainage outfalls/spillways, at iba pa.

Kamakailan lang, walang anu-ano’y napuno ng ingay mula sa public at private sectors ang mainstream at social media at tahasang tinutuligsa at hinahamon ang gobyerno ang ginawang paglalatag ng dolomite dahil aniya, ito ay purong pagpapaganda lang at hindi napapanahon lalo’t may pandemya.

“Amidst the carping cacophony of condemnation and hypocritical rebuke, the unduly mischaracterized project was ably defended, as well as, promoted/endorsed by the DENR, DPWH, DILG, DOT, MMDA, Presidential Spokesperson, some practical Congressmen and most importantly by Mayor Isko Moreno, all of whom highlighted its significant purpose and value for the overall rehabilitative development of Manila Bay and this shall create a positive ripple effect on tourism, ecology, economic opportunities, investment/business activity, job creation, family and individual physical/mental betterment, and many other consequential gains,” saad pa ng resolusyon. (ANDI GARCIA)