THE House Committee on Public Accounts will begin this month its investigation into the controversial Manila Bay Dolomite Beach Project, its chairperson announced on Monday.
Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro, the panel chairman, said the first hearing, which will be done in the week of November 17, will focus on determining the necessity of the project based on the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan and the Supreme Court’s Continuing Mandamus directing government agencies to clean, rehabilitate, and preserve Manila Bay.
The inquiry will also examine the flooding impact of the project on adjacent Ermita-Malate areas, particularly the status of the Padre Faura, Remedios, and Estero de San Antonio Abad drainage outfalls. Lawmakers will review whether the project’s engineering design contributed to waterway blockages and subsequent flooding incidents in Manila.
Ridon said the committee will also look at available alternative interventions and solutions to further ‘clean up, rehabilitate, and preserve Manila Bay’ and improve its water quality to make it fit for swimming, skin-diving, and other forms of contact recreation-the specific requirements under the Supreme Court’s Continuing Mandamus.
He added that the panel will likewise explore alternative interventions to clean and rehabilitate Manila Bay and improve its water quality to levels safe for swimming, skin-diving, and other forms of recreation, as mandated by the Supreme Court.
Invitations to participate in the hearing have been sent to the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), of Economy, Planning and Development DEPDev), and of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the City Government of Manila.
Ridon earlier filed House Resolution 56, urging the Committee on Public Accounts and other appropriate House panels to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the necessity, cost, and environmental impact of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program-particularly the Beach Nourishment and Coastal Restoration Project, more commonly known as the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach.
The resolution recalls that in January 2019, the DENR launched the ‘Battle for Manila Bay’ rehabilitation program in compliance with the Supreme Court’s 2008 Mandamus order. Part of the initiative was a P389-million beach nourishment project along the Manila Baywalk, which involved overlaying the shoreline with crushed dolomite rock starting in September 2020.
During the 2020 budget hearings, Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones acknowledged that the dolomite beach was not part of the National Economic and Development Authority’s (Neda)-approved master plan, raising concerns about its planning and approval process.
In August 2023, then Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga announced the suspension of all reclamation projects in Manila Bay-including the dolomite beach-pending review of their environmental clearances.
More recently, in May 2025, fishermen and environmental groups filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to stop further dumping of crushed dolomite, alleging violations of environmental laws such as the Ecological Impact Assessment Law (Presidential Decree 1586), the Clean Water Act, and the Fisheries Code.
Also, the MMDA has identified the dolomite beach project as a contributing factor to flooding along Taft Avenue and nearby areas. The agency said construction of the artificial beachfront obstructed three major drainage outfalls, forcing rainwater to be rerouted through a treatment plant that could not handle the excess flow during heavy rains.
Ridon said the committee’s proceedings will determine whether such findings warrant policy reforms, including stricter environmental oversight and cost-efficiency standards for future coastal rehabilitation projects.