The Manila Bay sand trap

The project’s success depends on ensuring that all the adjacent bodies of water, including the Pasig River, Laguna de Bay, and the waters off Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Bataan are also prioritized. And as the garbage flows from the Metro Manila tributaries, then a more stringent enforcement needs to be undertaken metro-wide.

IN the game of golf, landing your golf ball on a sand trap is a most unfortunate event. It would test not only your skill but also your fortitude while all eyes are on you. Such is the case of the Manila Bay white sand project. Now, everyone is watching what is going to happen—whether it will get caught deeper into the sand trap or it will get out and prove its validity and viability to the total rehabilitation of the bay.

The Manila Bay rehabilitation project started in 2019 with the President ordering the cleanup, right after the successful environmental turn-around of Boracay. With multiagency and private sector participation, the next few months saw a garbage-less Manila Bay shoreline, never seen before, giving Metro Manilans a ray of hope that in due time, the bay will regain its past glory. There were no expectations that miracles would happen overnight. It was enough that we were moving in the right direction. Then came the white sand makeover, catching everyone off guard amid the pandemic.

The project is now in a sand trap, with an almost equal division of public opinion at play. Those in favor highlight the resulting aesthetic value of the project, as well as its benefits to local commerce and tourism. This is accompanied by a narrative of the failure of the past six administrations in such a cleanup, and bolstered by the selfies posted on social media of the thousands who flocked to the site. Indeed, the hope of another Boracay miracle is occurring right before our eyes.

On the other side of the spectrum are those who are against it for a variety of reasons. First on their table is the nature of the sand material itself, made up of crushed dolomite, eliciting questions about its extraction, not to mention how this would impact Manila Bay itself, with some environmental advocates planning to seek judicial remedy on the matter. The project’s funding has also been raised though the initial report of P389 million project cost was refuted recently by the project proponents, countering that only P28 million was spent. Nevertheless, as these are public funds, questions on proper dispensation as well as proper accountability are being raised, especially as these were spent during the pandemic.

So, how can the government get out of this sand trap? My suggestion: Just like in golf, what matters is the long game. The government needs to present the whole rehabilitation plan, which I am sure they have, to the public. Presenting the complete picture puts rationale and appreciation to the small portion that we only see now. Ignore the politics. A good, sound project survives political fighting no matter what. The second step would be to make the cleanup participative. Open areas where the public can share responsibility. Bring in private sector funding, expertise, and most especially the academe and the environmental advocates. Have regular multi-sectoral cleanup events. Let the public be part of the fight and the eventual victory. When people participate in public projects, half of the success is already gained. Third would be to expand the scope of the project beyond Manila Bay. The project’s success depends on ensuring that all the adjacent bodies of water, including the Pasig River, Laguna de Bay, and the waters off Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Bataan are also prioritized. And as the garbage flows from the Metro Manila tributaries, then a more stringent enforcement needs to be undertaken metro-wide. Lastly, to ensure the longevity of the environmental mindset, the importance of environmental conservation needs to be hammered into the consciousness of the public, most especially to our youth to whom we will pass the torch of responsibility of preserving what we have for the future.

Fixing the environmental problem can never be a one-off and a stand-alone effort. As we have seen worldwide with issues on global warming, environmental cleanups need to be holistic, long-term and participated by everyone. Just like the game of golf, winning is about the whole 18 rounds. The government just needs to get out of its present sand trap and play the long game on.