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Does this make you want to rethink your summer destination?

“The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) warned commercial establishments in Boracay against discharging waste directly to the sea after a study made by a DENR office had found high levels of coliform bacteria, from human wastes, in the waters of the world-renowned resort island,” reports Nestor P. Burgos Jr. in Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The report noted: “The DENR-EMB Western Visayas office last week reported that coliform bacteria levels in a drainage outlet that empties into the sea in Sitio Bulabog in Boracay exceed safe standards and reach 47,460 most probable number (mpn) per 100 milimeter (ml). The safe level is 1,000 mpn/ml for waters for swimming.”

Jonathan Bulos, Western Visayas director of the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) reiterated that “offenders would be charged with violating the Clean Water Act.” He added that “the EMB is closely coordinating with the multi-agency Boracay Redevelopment Task Force (BRTF) to monitor and apprehend violators” because “the agency’s mandate covers only commercial establishments while the local government has jurisdiction over residences.”

Photo: Angelo Juan Ramos (WikiCommons)