The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-DENR) reported that the amount of fecal bacteria found in 60 percent of the country's recreational waters exceeded safe levels, GMA 7 news program "24 Oras" reported on Friday. According to the EMB's 2017 study, samples were taken from 351 of the agency's monitoring stations all over the country, and, after testing, they found that only 40 percent of public beaches passed the safety standard of 100 most probable number (mpn)/100 ml fecal coliform count. The EMB also found that more than 2,000 beaches in the country showed a considerably "high" level of the bacteria, which comes from animal feces.

60% of PHl beaches unsafe due to fecal coliform levels – EMB-DENR. (2018, May 29). The Daily Guardian, p. 12.