The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) did not expect the deluge of people when it reopened to the public the Dolomite beach in the Manila Bay during the weekend.
DENR Usec. Jonas Leones admitted on Tuesday, Oct. 19, that they "could not separate" people violating social distancing from one another as most goers were families.
"Ang problema natin doon 'yung mga strangers eh na di talaga magkakakilala, kaya nga nangyari samin doon...talagang ang hirap mong iimplement dahil napakabilis talaga ng bugso ng dami ng tao lalo na noong Sunday talaga (Our problem there was the crowding of people who were completely strangers with each other. What happened to us was we had a hard time implementing health protocols because of the deluge of people, especially last Sunday)," he said in a DZBB interview.
Leones also said it was not DENR's intention to reopen the Dolomite beach at the time the alert level status in Metro Manila was downgraded.
He said "it had already been planned" to be opened during the weekend as "several parts of the beach are already finished."
"Nasabik yung mga tao eh. Parang delubyo pag pumasok don sa gate eh (People were very excited. They stormed the gates)," he said.
Leones said the agency would implement by Wednesday several protocols in the beach to avoid people, especially children, from swimming in the Manila Bay, which is not yet safe for such activity.