Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official explained Thursday that the dolomite used in the white sand project in Manila Bay did not cause the fish kill in Baseco, Tondo.
DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda presented a Manila Bay map and explained that the area of the fish kill is too far from the beach beautification project. Baseco is around five kilometers away from the dolomite area, and a breakwater divides these two areas, the official explained in a press briefing, Thursday afternoon.
“Ang hangin natin ngayon ay habagat papunta sa Baywalk area along Roxas Boulevard. How does it happen na papunta sa Baywalk ang hangin at sa Baseco nakuha ang mga patay na isda? Dapat nasa pier o Baywalk napadpad ang mga patay na isda,” Antiporda explained.
(Our winds are now blowing towards the Baywalk area along Roxas Boulevard. How does it happen that the current goes to the Baywalk, and the dead fish ended up in Baseco? The dead fish should have been found near the pier or Baywalk.)
“Very erroneous ‘yung allegation kasi if you will look at the distance talagang napakalayo. ‘Yung direction din ng hangin, which is ‘habagat,’ hindi rin tumutugma sa lugar kung nasaan ang mga patay na isda,” he said.
(The allegation is very erroneous because if you will look at the distance, it is very far. The direction of the wind, which is ‘southwest,’ also does not correspond to where the dead fish were.)
Baseco fish kill sabotage?
Antiporda added a fish kill incident also occurred in the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park for almost the same period in 2019. The low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the water cause the fish kill.
“We are not discounting the possibility of sabotage; we are still investigating. We are looking at the water quality kasi basically kapag may ganyang situation madalas cyanide ang ginagamit diyan,” he said.
(When there is such a situation, cyanide is often used there. But still, we are giving it the benefit of the doubt because the same thing happened last year.)
“We are not insinuating na may kriminal dito, but we are (also) not discounting na may ganoong moves na ngayon kasi these are desperate moves, desperate times. Ito na lang ‘yung paraan nila para i-discredit ang beach nourishment project,” he added.
(We are not insinuating that there are criminals here, but we are (also) not discounting that such moves can happen now because these are desperate moves, desperate times. This is just their (critics) way to discredit the beach nourishment project.)