Senator Nancy Binay on Friday called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to prioritize cleaning up the waters of Manila Bay as was primarily ordered in the Supreme Court’s 2008 mandamus.
“Dapat ang main goal is to clean the water (Our main goal should be to clean the water). Yeah, maganda ho talaga yong nakikita natin ngayon na white sand, pero kung babalikan natin, madumi pa rin ang tubig, hindi ba (the white sand we are seeing now is pleasing, but if we backtrack, the water quality is still poor, isn't it).”
“Baka apo sa tuhod na natin 'yong maabutan na pwedeng nang magswimming dyan kasi malinis na 'yong tubig (It might be our great grandchildren who will finally enjoy swimming in a clean Manila Bay),” she added.
Binay, proposed to Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate environment committee and sponsor of the DENR's 2021 budget, to consider aligning some funds for improving the water quality in the Manila Bay.
Villar, who has initiated programs for the Manila Bay's rehabilitation in her own capacity, supported Binay.
“We support you on that, we just want clean water in Manila Bay,” she said.
In its presentation before the Senate panel, the DENR reported that it has cleaned up 36 estuaries and creeks since the Task Force Manila Bay was formed in 2019. There are a total of 378 of them connected to the Manila Bay.
DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said they aim to bring down fecal coliform levels in the Manila Bay to 200 most probable number (MPN) per 100 milliliters so it could be swimmable.
For 2021, a P1.7-billion budget was proposed for the Manila Bay rehabilitation, which also includes funds for cleaning up of river system and esteros.