Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units (LGUs) Concerns Benny D. Antiporda has expressed his gratitude to the Manila City vloggers for their regular and accurate public updates on the ongoing rehabilitation of Manila Bay.

Antiporda, who is also the Supervising Undersecretary for Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service, noted that the vloggers have been continuously producing positive “vlogs” or video blogs and sharing updates since the Manila Bay rehabilitation, dubbed as “Battle for Manila Bay,” started in 2019.

“Most of their posts have been viewed by thousands of people, which have contributed in informing the public on the status of the historic bay,” he said. “The vlogs about Manila Bay have proven that they are very effective in informing and educating the Filipinos.”

Antiporda also thanked Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso for his continuous support for DENR programs and projects.

In his recent meeting with the Manila-based vloggers, Antiporda took the opportunity to update them on the DENR’s accomplishments during the second year of the Manila Bay rehabilitation program.

These include the decrease in the bay’s fecal coliform level, establishment of a solar-powered sewage treatment plant on Roxas Boulevard, and mangrove planting activity at the BASECO lagoon in Tondo, Manila.

Antiporda also announced that the Manila Bay beach rehabilitation project is already about 30 percent complete. The overlaying of crushed dolomite along the 500-meter coastline of Manila Bay will be done in one to two months, he said.

“Sinasabi nilang dinagdagan ang dolomite. Hindi totoo iyon. Walang ganon. Wala pong na wash-out, na wash-in po ang black sand. Ire-reiterate po namin na pumasok po ang black sand, nilinis po nila iyon.” Antiporda said.

He added: “Maraming naririnig na haka-hakang negatibo na sinasabi, pero handa naman po kaming tanggapin. Let’s just wait for the project to finish and that’s the time siguro na bago sila humusga. That’s the time na we will face them kung sakali talagang may pagkakamali at pagkukulang. But based on our studies, perfect po ang proyektong ito para sa ating taong bayan.”

Aside from the Manila Bay rehabilitation, the DENR official also shared the programs on solid waste management, one of which is the turnover of composting machines to the local government units to convert food wastes into soil conditioners.

Antiporda said the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau is also planning to seek assistance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government to come up with guidelines on managing food wastes. ###