Mati City authorities say ‘Pujada Bay still pristine’

Pujada Bay is still pristine, say Mati City authorities. Photo courtesy of Davao Oriental Provincial Information Office

DAVAO CITY — The Mati City government in Davao Oriental province has assured the public that the waters of Pujada Bay remained clean contrary to recent media reports of its high pollution levels.

The local government cited in a statement two studies by the Regional Integrated Coastal Resource Management Center of the Davao Oriental State University (Dorsu) showing that there was only minimal presence of disease-causing microorganisms in the bay, way below the level that should alarm authorities.

Lea A. Jimenez, the center director, said a nutrients mapping study in 2015 showed that two of eight sampling stations registered a higher than acceptable level of Escherichia coli microorganisms or coliform.

The two stations, she added, were near residential areas.

Even then, the coliform level in the entire bay was below the threshold that should sound health alarms, Jimenez explained.

“Pujada Bay is still pristine, despite the identified vulnerable areas which the proper authorities might take necessary measures and mitigation,” said Jimenez, lamenting how the study was used to put the bay “in a bad light.”

Another study in 2021, by Dorsu researchers, increased the sampling stations to 28 and found that coliform concentration was higher than the normal level in four stations.

Amy G. Ponce, a research assistant of the 2021 study, said the results indicated that the bay’s waters are still top quality.

Dorsu came out with a statement saying that the bay remained among the most beautiful in the world as it pointed out that the level of contaminants was within tolerable limits.

“The concentration of E.coli is still within the allowable level for coastal waters … according to DENR AO (Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order) 34,” Dorsu noted.

But the state-run school recommended “close monitoring, particularly the activities in the identified stations and their vicinity that may serve as the source of E.coli, to arrest any possible increase of contamination.”

Covering some 21,200 hectares, the bay was declared a protected seascape through Proclamation No. 431 issued on July 31, 1994 by President Fidel Ramos.

Two years ago, the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World considered Pujada for its list.

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