The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reiterated an order requiring establishments in Boracay to put up sewerage treatment plants (STPs), either individually or in clusters, to ensure that wastewater is properly treated before it flows into the sea. “The President described Boracay as a ‘cesspool’. By that word alone, he meant that the waters around the island is of very poor quality. And, indeed, it was. The concentration of coliform in the water samples that were put to test in the early part of our rehabilitation efforts were too high—millions of times beyond the standard,” DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said.

De Vera-Ruiz, E. (2018, August 29). Cimatu firm Boracay sewage treatment policy. Manila Bulletin, p. 7.