One of the most controversial issues besides the PhilHealth corruption; never-ending political feuds, and such is the rehabilitation of Manila Bay amidst the pandemic. Timing made a huge impact on the project and many have become aware ever since the beginning of the pandemic, the country’s economy had dropped. While Manila Bay rehabilitation is another major issue to be solved, funds are very much vital during these times to sustain a functioning country in the midst of a pandemic.
Prior to the project, funds have already been allotted for the rehabilitation project but we need to instill the growing needs of COVID-19 response and we are talking about 389-million peso here which could have saved thousands of lives if the project was postponed in the first place. For the people, it does not really make sense to spend hundreds of millions extracting a mineral which is still questionable with regards to its environmental concerns. The project appears to have so many “red flags” or a lot to improve if just given more time, research and openness to more people with expertise in the field.
DENR reassured the public that this project underwent consultations, but a lot of environmentalists opposed the motion after making studies of the potential hazards of that the mineral involved in this project could bring to the people who inhales it. It appears that the people and the administration view timing on the opposite ends.
The administration felt the greater need for the people to have something that can improve their mental health, as spokesperson Harry Roque said. For the mean time, people had expressed their admiration for the newly rehabilitated bay as the opening of the newly rehabilitated Manila Bay starts, a lot of people rushed to the location, disregarding the community safety guidelines.
Still, timing made a big impact in this context since the project in fact, took a toll on the people’s health. Physical distancing was not properly implemented. In some logic, if a person is wounded, you’ll need to sterilize the wounds first instead of just covering it with bandage. Same goes with enhancing people’s mental health – a band aid solution. If we are talking about mental health then mental health facilities should be improved and be made more available to people and not just dumping a crushed dolomite for the people to see.
Maybe the reason why timing has always been off for this project is that they never should have implemented it to begin with. It is just sad how we are struggling to put an end of this issue with one political interest over the other and some officials who fail to acknowledge that they need to be corrected. Facts are obviously disregarded and experts who are willing to contribute to the possible solution are also being cancelled. – Jillian S. Prado/ The Freehand Opinion
Illustration by: George Angelo S. Santiago
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