FIRST District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte slammed ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio, accusing him of pretending to be a “champion of transparency” following Tinio’s call to investigate the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach project.
“Huwag tayong magpanggap na champion ng transparency kung pamumulitika lang ang habol. Kung totoo ang hangarin ninyong ‘accountability,’ simulan ninyo sa sarili ninyo — at sa mga pinagsilbihan ninyong may bahid ng korapsyon,” Duterte said in a statement on Monday, November 3, 2025.
(Let’s not pretend to be champions of transparency if what you’re really after is politics. If your call for ‘accountability’ is genuine, start with yourselves — and with those you served who are tainted with corruption.)
Duterte questioned why, despite the billions allegedly lost during the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., no one has been held accountable. He criticized those who are now “quick to blame others” for the Dolomite Beach issue but were “silent when the country was truly robbed.”
He also said that when massive plunder cases surfaced earlier this year, Tinio and his allies failed to act, allowing the issue to fade from public attention.
Neglect of Manila Bay
Duterte pointed out that Manila Bay had been neglected for decades, with people growing used to seeing garbage floating in its waters.
He emphasized that it was a Mindanaoan president — his father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte — who finally initiated action to rehabilitate the bay, a move that gained widespread public approval.
However, he lamented that political motives have since tainted the narrative.
“Walang problema mapanagot lahat kung may kasalanan, gaya ng sabi ninyo, kasama si FPRRD dahil proyekto niya ito. Pero bakit tila pipi kayo sa pagpapanagot sa pumirma ng pinaka-corrupt na budget ng 2023–2025?” he said.
(“There’s no problem holding everyone accountable if they are truly at fault, including former President Rodrigo Duterte, since it was his project. But why are you silent about holding accountable those who approved the most corrupt budgets of 2023–2025?”)
Duterte added that it is “shameful” for some lawmakers to assume that Filipinos are ignorant, stressing that the ongoing investigations are merely political distractions to divert attention from more pressing national issues.
Tinio: Probe long overdue
In an interview with national media, Rep. Antonio Tinio said it was about time the Dolomite Beach project be investigated to determine how much public money was used and whether corruption was involved.
“Dapat lang na maimbestigahan, makita kung gaano kalaking pondo ba talaga ang nasayang, at ‘yung extent ng corruption na involved dito,” Tinio said.
It’s only right that this be investigated — to determine how much money was really wasted and the extent of the corruption involved.)
The House Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Rep. Terry Ridon, is scheduled to open the investigation on November 17.
The Dolomite Beach Project
The Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach is a stretch along Roxas Boulevard in Manila, developed as part of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation and Beautification Project.
Crushed dolomite rocks sourced from Alcoy, Cebu, through the Dolomite Mining Corporation (DMC) and processed by the Philippine Mining Service Corporation (PMSC), were used to create the artificial white sand beach.
Launched in September 2020 and reopened to the public on June 12, 2022, the project aimed to improve not only the bay’s aesthetic appeal but also to rehabilitate it until it became safe for swimming and recreation, and reduce and control wastewater pollution.
However, some environmental scientists and advocacy groups criticized the initiative, arguing that dolomite does not address the bay’s real problems — such as sewage, industrial pollution, and solid waste management — and may even pose risks to the coastal ecosystem. RGP