Senator Nancy Binay on Tuesday urged authorities to consider temporarily closing Manila City’s dolomite beach to ensure the safety of the public and to prevent a possibility of a “super spreader” event.
Binay said the place should be temporarily closed until such time the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is able to come up with a mechanism or rules and regulations for visitors.
“Mas maganda siguro kung pansamantala munang isara ang dolomite beach habang wala pang regulasyon at sistema ang DENR sa area (I think its better if we temporarily close the dolomite beach while the DENR has not yet released a regulation or system within the area),” Binay said in a statement.
Police authorities on Monday limited the number and length of stay of people going to the beach after a number of visitors trooped to the area of attraction last Sunday prompting the DENR to order the beach’s temporary closure.
The senator pointed out the country’s health sector frontliners are doing every necessary intervention in controlling the spread of new COVID-19 variants and yet “there are also those who organize events or offer unnecessary attractions, yet failed to manage the crowds resulting in rapid community transmissions.”
“From the point of view of health and wellness, what we also need to acknowledge here is the public's desire to spend time in open spaces,” she said.
“Siguro, yung nakikita nating pagdagsa ng tao sa (Maybe, after seeing the number of people that trooped to) Manila Bay area and parks can be a good step forward for the national and local governments to rethink how green and open spaces will work best in the new normal context,” the lawmaker stressed.
She also said a well-thought out urban planning alongside health protocols will play a big part in creating the best environment in or outside the cities which will make sense from a public health perspective.