No coliform decline, no Boracay reopening–Cimatu

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Tuesday said he would withhold endorsing the reopening of Boracay to tourism until fecal coliform level in the resort island had declined to a safe level.

Some areas in Boracay have been found to have coliform levels of up to 72,000 most probable number (MPN) per 100 milliliters (ml), way past the safe level of 400 MPN per 100 ml.

“Unless we stabilize the coliform level, I will not recommend the reopening [of Boracay],” Cimatu said.

During an inspection on Saturday, Cimatu found a government-built sewage pipe running along the beach to be contributing to coliform pollution in Boracay.

The pipe was within 30 meters of the shoreline. One of the manholes in the pipe was found to be excreting up to 10,000 MPN per ml of coliform. —Jovic Yee