Fishers' group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Wednesday, Oct. 27, said that it is seeking the shutdown of Manila's dolomite beach after its "superspreader" opening.

"Aside from holding the officials accountable over the superspreader beach opening, the infamous dolomite beach should be shut down for good," the group said.

Tens of thousands of people flocked the synthetic white beach after DENR allowed the opening of the Manila Baywalk Dolomite for public viewing last week.

“It’s not on the people who took the risk just to have a dolomite beach experience, but on the DENR officials who administered this folly idea of dumping synthetic white sand along the Manila Baywalk. We add our voice to the public clamor to hold the DENR officials responsible over this risky undertaking. Moreover, we demand the shutdown of this dolomite beach that cost us hundreds of millions yet completely irrelevant to the Manila Bay rehabilitation program,” PAMALAKAYA National Spokesperson Ronnel Arambulo said.

The dolomite beach is currently on its first phase and is up for its second phase, which the fishers' group said would be "another waste of public funds in the name of mere aesthetics."

“This beach nourishment project doesn't deserve another phase and should be stopped immediately. An expansion of the dolomite beach is further squandering of public funds that are crucial to poor Filipinos in these struggling times. Instead, the budget for this futile beautification project should be refunneled to social services such as cash aid and subsidy for the poor sectors who endure the catastrophic impacts of the pandemic and the series of oil price hikes accompanied with inflation of basic commodities,” he added.