Floating and fixed cottages on the waters of Cordova town, Mactan Island. | Photo from Capitol PIO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas warned the public against swimming in the coastal waters off Cordova, Cebu due to high presence of fecal coliform.
In an advisory on Thursday, DOH Region 7 director Jaime Bernadas said a test conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – with samples taken from waters around Bora-Bora – found that fecal coliform level in the said area are “beyond the maximum allowable criteria.”
“An assessment team from the DOH Central Visayas Center for Health Development observed that these structures have poor sewage and wastewater disposal systems, which violate existing Sanitation Code standards,” he noted.
Fecal coliforms, according to Bernadas, “are known causes of water-borne diseases once a person accidentally drinks or ingests contaminated waters.”
Symptoms of such diseases include fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach pains, loose bowel movements, and dehydration.
The provincial government of Cebu earlier issued Executive Order No. 25, which prohibits the operation of structures like floating and fixed cottages within waters of Cordova, noting its dangerous risks to public health and the environment.
With this in mind, the DOH has vowed to coordinate with operators of these establishments “to ensure compliance with sanitation standards and regulations.”