Coron Bay coliform a threat to health, mangroves —DENR

Informal settlers and businesses in Coron are facing relocation and closure as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported that Coron had a high amount of fecal coliform, a type of bacteria found in human and animal waste.

According to Saleema Refran's report on "24 Oras" on Thursday, five out of six areas in Coron that went through testing exceeded the 1,000-mpn coliform threshhold.

DENR-Mimaropa director Natividad Bernardino said the bacteria did not only pose a threat to human health, but also to Coron's famous mangroves which serve as a dwelling for fish and other marine life.

"Pag maka-inom, pwede silang magka-diarrhea. Pagka-naligo naman, magkakaroon ng skin disease," Bernardino told GMA News.

"Ang mangrove ecosystem, diyan nangingitlog 'yung ating mga isda, mga aquatic life, so madidisturb po 'yung ganoong mga proseso," Eriberto Saños of Coron's Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) added.

The only area that passed the DENR's safety standard was an uninhabited portion of Coron.

Bernardino pointed out the large number of businesses and informal settlers located along the stretch of Coron Bay.

"You could see some big hotels already encroaching. Nasa tubig na rin talaga. And then there are also a lot of informal settlers. We have a count of something like 1,000 also directly discharging," she said.

With blackened water reeking with garbage in some residential areas, Coron Mayor Ajerico Barracoso said the municipality of Coron cannot establish a proper sewage facility without assistance from the national government.

"Hindi namin kaya na magkaroon tayo ng sewerage treatment diyan sa bayan ng Coron kung sa amin lang so humihingi kami ng tulong sa National Government na tulungan din kami just like what they did in Boracay," he said.

The DENR cracked down on hundreds of  establishments in Boracay allegedly violating environmental policies after President Rodrigo Duterte called the tourism destination a "cesspool."

Francisco Fernandez, Jr., the president of the Calamianes Association of Tourism Establishments, said some of the businesses in Coron would readily comply if the DENR issues notices of violations.

"Masakit. Lalo na kung bago 'yung establishment. But then, 'yun 'yung batas eh," he said.

The DENR said fecal coliform levels were highest in Barangay Poblacion 5 where it was measured at 25,269 mpn, which is 25 times higher than the safe level.

Poblacion 5 was among six barangays in Coron identified by DENR-Mimaropa with structures within the identified easement zone.

DENR's Task Force Coron officially marked the easement line on Thursday.

According to the report, informal settlers set to be relocated were meant to be transferred to other areas since they bore the brunt of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

"Nakapagtataka di ba? Na umabot ng ganito, sa tagal-tagal ba naman," one of the residents said. —Margaret Claire Layug/NB, GMA News