The Department of Health (DOH) MIMAROPA has released a report that indicates 567 tourists fell ill with diarrhea in El Nido, a town located in northern Palawan. The report also confirmed the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in various businesses, water refill stations, and the local water distribution system. The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) noted an increase in the concentration of E. coli and coliform in Bacuit-El Nido bays, Corong-Corong, and other popular tourist destinations.

Recently, a traveler from Texas named Fhonz Sy took to social media to share her “unfortunate experience” when her relatives became ill after eating at a local restaurant in El Nido on February 9th. Her relatives were hospitalized with symptoms such as persistent vomiting and stomachache.

In response, the Regional Tourism Committee was convened on January 30th by the Department of Tourism (DOT) MIMAROPA Director Zeny Pallugna to address the public health and environmental concerns in El Nido. A follow-up meeting was held on February 8th with the involvement of the Provincial Capitol, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) MIMAROPA Assistant Regional Director Donna Mayor-Gordove, and Palawan Governor Dennis Socrates. Attendees included representatives from the local government of El Nido, PCSD Staff, DENR Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Palawan staff, and officials from the DOH MIMAROPA.

On February 13th, DOT Secretary Maria Esperanza Christina Garcia-Frasco is expected to arrive in the province. The PCSD staff has warned stakeholders in El Nido of possible measures that the agency may take if the fecal coliform levels in the municipal water do not decrease. The PCSD may suspend the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance of establishments with high concentrations of coliform bacteria, and those that do not meet the government’s water quality standards. Additionally, the issuance of SEP Clearance for new establishments may also be suspended until the public health and environmental issues are resolved. The stakeholders have pledged to work towards resolving these concerns in the town.