House sets probe on dolomite beach

MANILA, Philippines — The House inquiry into the artificial beach along Manila Bay will begin on Nov. 17.

Public accounts panel chairman Rep. Terry Ridon said the hearing would examine the dolomite beach’s flooding impact on adjacent Ermita-Malate areas.

The probe will also tackle the “status of the Faura, Remedios and Estero de San Antonio Abad drainage outfalls and any effects arising from the project’s engineering specifications,” he added.

Lawmakers will review the artificial beach’s necessity based on the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan and the Supreme Court’s continuing mandamus, he noted.

Alternative interventions and solutions will be checked to improve Manila Bay’s water quality, which is a requirement of the high court’s order, Ridon said.

Agencies invited to the inquiry include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Economy, Planning and Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Manila city government.

In July, Ridon sought an inquiry into the status of the dolomite beach project amid massive flooding in Manila.

Built during the Duterte administration in 2020, the beach was never part of the Manila Bay rehabilitation master plan, Ridon pointed out.