Dolomite Beach reopened last week when NCR was downgraded to Alert Level 3. Over the weekend, thousands of people flocked to the “white sand” attraction in Manila Bay. On Tuesday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) acknowledged their failure to carry out safety protocols when thousands of visitors arrived.
DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda attempted to redeem the department by claiming that the five minute rule had been enforced. This rule permits less than 400 people in dolomite beach for five minutes; then, they will exit and the next batch enters. Antiporda expressed disappointment regarding the photo that showed the influx of visitors.
He closed his statement on Tuesday by prohibiting children 11 and under from entering the “beach.”
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Antiporda requested visitors to exercise caution by undergoing self-quarantine. He added, “Mag-quarantine sila sa sarili nila, mag-self quarantine muna sila to make sure na wala silang nakuhang sakit doon sa nangyaring yun noong Sunday.” The attraction operates daily from 8AM to 11AM and 3PM to 6PM. Now, they are planning to close on the weekends.