Sunday, September 6, 2020

Kalikasan writ eyed against 'Manila beach'. September 7, 2020

‘WE WANT TO STAY THERE’ Map shows facilities of the Philippine Navy surrounding Cañacao Bay at Sangley Point in Cavite City. The Navy is opposed to a plan to reclaim much of the bay and says it prefers to stay there, amid Chinese business interests that have been linked to China’s expansion in the disputed South China Sea. —PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PHILIPPINE NAVY

Regions

Benguet’s strawberry farmers LOOK FOR other crops

A drastic slump in tourism activities due to the ongoing community quarantine has forced strawberry farmers here to shift to other crops after struggling to sell their harvest in the local market or even online. —STORY BY Kimberlie Quitasol

News

Police cautioned against monitoring of netizens

Human rights advocates on Sunday criticized the plan of the Philippine National Police to monitor social media posts and pursue quarantine violators, warning that this would violate constitutional and privacy rights, especially without legal authority given by the courts. —STORY BY Krixia Subingsubing

Board Talk

Telehealth sector comes to life amid pandemic

As the opportunity for telehealth solutions continues to grow because of the COVID-19 pandemic, one such provider based in the Philippines reminds the public: Not all telehealth companies are made equal. —STORY BY Annelle Tayao-Juego

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Kalikasan writ eyed against 'Manila beach'

By Krixia Subingsubing

he Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) claims that the “white sand” being poured to create a beach on a stretch of Manila Bay’s rocky shore poses no harm to the bay’s ecosystem, but independent safety reports by foreign contractors point out that dolomite—the rock pulverized to produce the false white sand—can cause respiratory ailments and is a potential carcinogen.

In an interview with the Inquirer on Sunday, maritime affairs expert and University of the Philippines law professor Jay Batongbacal said the reports from US contractors about the potential harm the dolomite being poured on a 500-meter stretch of Manila Bay’s shore could be ground for filing a petition for a writ of kalikasan, a legal remedy to halt projects potentially damaging to the environment.

In its safety data report submitted in 2012, Texas distributor and builder Lehigh Hanson Inc. warned that dolomite could cause skin and eye irritation, as well as cancer and damage to the lungs through prolonged or repeated exposure.

Another company, Lhoist North America, warned in its own safety data report submitted in 2018 that dolomite contains crystalline silica, classified as a potential carcinogen when inhaled by humans.

“Inhalation of silica can also cause a chronic lung disorder, silicosis,” Lhoist said in its report. —INQ

Editorial

Preventing cybercrimes

Since theft is mostly about money, banks are among the favorite targets of crack international syndicates employing the latest technology for their crimes. And the Philippines, given its strict bank secrecy laws, lax anti-money laundering regime, and vulnerable gaps in cybersecurity systems, seems more and more in the crosshairs of these syndicates lately.

Read full story: opinion.inquirer.net