City dad alarmed over Mactan coliform issue

CEBU, Philippines – A Cebu City legislator said he is alarmed over the reported presence of high coliform bacteria reportedly observed in some of the beaches in Mactan Island and has asked the concerned agencies to act on it.

Councilor Arsenio Pacaña, chairman of the Committee on Tourism of the Cebu City Council, is afraid that the reported presence of fecal coliform bacteria in the famous beach resorts of Mactan may scare and drive away some of the tourists.

Pacaña said some beach resort operators in Mactan are already worried about the report of the Environmental Management Bureau that warned of high coliform content in the seawaters off Mactan.

The presence of fecal coliform bacteria in aquatic environments indicates that the water has been contaminated with the fecal material of man or animals. 

Fecal coliform bacteria can enter rivers through direct discharge of waste from mammals and birds, from agricultural and storm runoff, and from untreated human sewage. 

Domestic septic tanks can also become overloaded during the rainy season and allow untreated human waste to flow into drainage ditches and nearby waters.

Other causes of fecal coliform is the agricultural practices such as allowing animal waste to wash into nearby streams during the rainy season, spreading manure and fertilizer on fields during rainy periods, and allowing livestock watering in streams.

According to EMB bathing or swimming is considered unsafe in beaches with high or total coliform content exceeding 1,000 MPN (most probable number) per 100ml.

Pacaña said to sustain and make tourism a viable industry by way of long-term economic benefits and to attract more tourists to the country, the government and the beach resort operators must join hands in addressing the problem.

In a proposed resolution to be discussed before the Cebu City Council tomorrow, Pacaña urged the EMB officials to look for concrete action plans to address the reported presence of high coliform contents discovered in our country’s beaches. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)