Palace: P389 million Manila beach fund can’t be realigned

MANILA, Philippines — The P389-million funding for Manila Bay’s white sand beach project could no longer be realigned to other items, Malacañang said yesterday.

The University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute has described the project as “costly” and “temporary.”

But the Duterte administration maintained that the project should be completed.

“It has started so it has to be completed,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. “The realignment of funds applies to projects that have not started.”

Roque said the budget for the project is not just for beach nourishment but for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.

The project, which involves topping a 500-meter stretch of Manila Bay’s shorelines with artificial white sand, has received flak from the public.

Isko partners with DENR

Meanwhile, the Manila city government has partnered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to reduce incidents of open defecation in Manila Bay.

Mayor Isko Moreno signed on Wednesday a supplemental memorandum of agreement with DENR director for administrative service Rolando Castro.

Under the project, city hall would install portable toilets in Parola, Tondo to provide “dignified toilet facilities” for informal settler families.

The DENR allotted to the city government P10 million for the project and another P5 million for operational costs. – Janvic Mateo , Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Rey Galupo