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DENR declares safe for swimming area in Boracay used by foreign tourists as 'toilet'

DENR declares safe for swimming area in Boracay used by foreign tourists as 'toilet'

By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu has lifted on Thursday afternoon the swimming ban at the Boracay beachfront area where two female foreign nationals were seen in a viral video assisting a child-companion to defecate and thereafter burying a soiled diaper in the sand.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu (DOT / MANILA BULLETIN)

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu
(DOT / MANILA BULLETIN) The coliform test for water samples taken last August 14 by the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau in Region 6 showed safe levels at less than 1 most probable number per 100 millilitres (MPN/100 ml). The standard coliform level is set at not more than 100 MPN/100 ml). With this result, Cimatu ordered at 5 p.m. on August 15 the lifting of the cordon and swimming ban at the beachfront area where the “pooping” incident happened. In the morning of August 14, Cimatu gave instructions to cordon off the beachfront area in Station 1 where the viral video was taken. The area was temporarily closed for swimming for 48 hours or until water quality tests showed safe levels for human contact.

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