"What would boost our mental health is the knowledge that the government is addressing problems at the core and not resorting to superficial solutions."
What would boost our mental health is the knowledge that the government is addressing problems at the core and not resorting to superficial solutions.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has implemented its brilliant idea of using synthetic white sand—crushed dolomite boulders from Cebu—to cover the baywalk of Manila Bay.
Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said his agency intended to bring the beach experience closer to Filipinos who could not travel amid this time of the pandemic.
He also said that the white-sand project would raise people’s awareness of our common responsibility to take care of the environment. “We did this so people could see that when something is white, you should take care of it and not make it dirty,” he added in Filipino.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque also defended the project, saying the white sand would improve people’s mental health by distracting them from their thoughts about the pandemic. Going to places like Manila Bay would give people peace of mind. He himself, he volunteered, liked strolling along and sitting by the coastline.
Roque added that the white sand would make Manila Bay more picturesque because it would complement the beautiful sunset for which it is already known.
We wonder how these two officials can believe that we can take them seriously.
Foremost, the expense is just staggering. An infrastructure think tank estimated the cost P795,000 per coastline meter covered. Assuming a 500-meter beach, the whitening project could set Filipino taxpayers back by P397.5 million. Think of the many other worthy projects this amount could be spent on.
Second, health and environment groups have raised concern that the synthetic material could actually be bad for the clean-up—which is not even completed, anyway. Worse, dolomite in large amounts may be bad for the health. Effects include irritation, burning, and redness of the eye; dry and irritated skin, coughing and irritation of the lungs, and in extreme cases, silicosis, bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer.
Mr. Roque thinks the DENR wold not have pushed through with the project without the benefit of studies. But we would like to hear from the agency’s leadership: Is the white-sand project backed by credible study at all?
Finally, there is common sense. Filipinos are not babies who sulk about not being able to go to the beach. We know there is a public health emergency and we are willing to make sacrifices, just as we have done so for nearly six months now.
What would give us peace of mind is the knowledge that our officials know their priorities well, and that they exercise prudence in spending our money at a time when the future is uncertain and millions are losing their jobs.
What would soothe our anxieties and boost our mental health is the knowledge that our officials are doing their best to address problemsenvironmental degradation, a weak hospital system, lack of accountability in public spending—instead of kicking artificial sand in our faces.
