PNP orders close watch on 'dolomite beach' soft opening
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police is ordering the Manila Police District to deploy cops to the "dolomite beach" in Manila Bay to prevent a repeat of last year's mass gatherings, it said Tuesday.
"I have tasked the Manila Police District to deploy additional policemen in the area to ensure that persons who visit the beach observe minimum public health safety standards and follow quarantine protocols," Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP chief, said in a statement.
"Careful planning and regular monitoring of the area is needed to ensure that what happened last year is not repeated without the social distancing of the people visiting," he added.
This comes amid mounting fears over confirmed cases of the more infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus in the Philippines.
According to the PNP, visitors continue to flock to the beach for its soft opening after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reopened it on Sunday despite the Delta variant.
READ: PNP ready to implement stricter lockdown vs Delta variant
To recall, then-PNP chief Camilo Cascolan ordered the removal of Police Lt. Col. Ariel Caramoan, commander of Manila Police District Police Station 5, from his post for his failures in controlling the crowds that built up in the area in September 2020.
The project has not sat well with environmental advocates and scientists, who argued that dumping the faux sand in the area would only do more harm than good in the rehabilitation of the bay.
Manila City Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso admitted that he was not informed about the dumping of sand in April of this year but still defended the project, saying he saw nothing wrong with it.
"I also warn our police not to be negligent and make sure that they can guard the area so that they will not be relieved again," Eleazar said.
"For our people who are planning to go to the dolomite beach, let's follow the rules and not be reprimanded because it is also for your safety," he added.
The dolomite beach is open to the public until Tuesday. Wearing face masks and face shields is mandatory and observing physical distancing is still required, the PNP said.
Visitors are allowed to roam and walk around the beach for only five minutes to avoid overcrowding, the PNP chief added. — Franco Luna
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