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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DENR uses 'bokashi balls' to clean Boracay's wetland

DENR uses 'bokashi balls' to clean Boracay's wetland

Published May 7, 2022 01:26 pm

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has started using "bokashi balls" into the Balabag Wetland Park in Boracay Island as part of the rehabilitation and recovery of ecosystems in the area.

A bokashi ball, also known as “mabuhay ball,” is a Japanese rehabilitation technology made up of all-organic materials, such as garden soil, molasses, and rice hull.

photo: DENR

In a statement, the DENR said the "bokashi ball" has an effective microorganism solution that breaks down toxins and consumes bad bacteria in the water.

Martin Despi, general manager of the Boracay Inter-Agency Rehabilitation and Management Group (BIARMG), said this is not the first time that they used the balls.

"This is a regular activity of the Environmental Management Bureau – National Capital Region (EMB-NCR) to improve water quality of the Manila Bay Watershed. As long as we remain consistent with our rehabilitation efforts in all our wetlands, we are positive that throwing bokashi balls will reap positive results,” said Despi.

The DENR aims to throw around 8,000 bokashi balls into the Balabag Wetland, with each bokashi ball able to clean about one-square-meter area.

“We will continue with what we’ve started, and who knows? Maybe our Balabag Wetland could also become swimmable in the near future,” said Despi.

The throwing of bokashi balls into Boracay’s wetlands is one of DENR’s projects when the massive rehabilitation started in 2018. At that time, resorts and houses have illegally reclaimed most of the wetlands in Boracay.

Despi cited that bokashi balls were also used to aid in the clean-up of creeks or “esteros” that are draining into Manila Bay.

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