Manila Bay desilting operations underway
The Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highways has launched desilting operations in Manila Bay.
Amphibious excavators and dumping scows are among the fleet of equipment deployed for an operation which has seen the Manila Bay area divided into five sectors along 1.5km total distance. Some 18,000 cubic metres of mud and silt have already been removed from the shoreline outwards 20m and to a depth of 2m.
DPWH’s Bureau of Equipment, with the assistance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) have been continuously conducting water quality monitoring and bathymetric surveying of the desilting sites to monitor progress.
With cleaner water, Manila Bay is expected to again be suitable for swimming and other contact forms of recreation.
By Larz Bourne
