DESPITE the health and safety protocols mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), people continuously swarm in the P389-million project famously known as the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach. Back in 2020, the said project was heavily criticized as it was constructed during the height of the pandemic and it faced environmental issues such as using crushed dolomite stones to create the white sand effect.

As of Oct. 30, a whopping number of 322,718 have already visited the artificial baywalk since its reopening last Oct. 16. During the first two weeks, there were no age or vaccination restrictions unlike in malls and other public places. Due to the unexpected volume of people visiting daily, the minimum health and safety protocols such as physical distancing were not observed. 

Videos and photos of people crammed in the dolomite beach have been posted online and people are criticizing why the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR) allowed underage people to enter when they have not received vaccinations yet. Soon after public criticisms arose along with the government calling them out, the DENR decided to do a cinema approach for accepting people on the beach. 

The DENR defends that they were not anticipating the heavy magnitude of people coming to see the beach daily, but they could have easily prepared protocols or guidelines for people before opening it. With Metro Manila easing into Alert Level 3, people feel that they can now freely go outside for leisure activities, including a stroll at the beach. Especially with the DENR allowing no age and vaccination restrictions, there is bound to be a mass audience cramping in a public place especially when malls have more strict guidelines.

Recently, the DENR announced that they will  close the man-made dolomite beach until early 2022 to give ample time for its rehabilitation so that “the public can fully enjoy the beach once it reopens.” But, people must always remember how this artificial beach was built – by destroying nature just to achieve its white sand aesthetic. With the Philippines still in shambles while dealing with the economic crisis brought about by the pandemic, wasting millions of pesos on a project that continuously needs maintenance is definitely not worth it. The government must prioritize where to put the people’s money, especially during a public emergency.