The Philippines’ western island province of Palawan tops tourists’ bucket lists for its picturesque main destination, El Nido. This small fishing town of 50,000 residents is located within the larger El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area. Known for crystal-clear azure waters, dramatic limestone cliffs, and exceptional diving spots, El Nido has received numerous accolades from international travel magazines and heavy promotion in social media. In 2023, Palawan recorded 1.5 million visitors, with a third visiting El Nido, generating revenues of 57.2 billion pesos ($1 billion at the exchange rate at the time). However, as in other Southeast Asian destinations and beyond, this popularity has come at a cost, including coastal water contamination. High fecal coliform levels in the sea around El Nido have persisted despite the construction of a new sewage treatment plant and efforts to curb illegal tourism-related businesses, new government data show. Now, with tourism at an all-time high, authorities are scrambling to hook more businesses and residences up to the system, and grappling with how to balance the economic boon of tourism with the costs it imposes on the marine environment. In the past five years, from 2019 to 2023, fecal coliform levels, particularly in the coastal waters off the El Nido town center, where residences and tourism establishments are concentrated, have consistently exceeded the safe recreational swimming limit of 100 most probable number (MPN) per 100 milliliters. That’s according to data the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently shared with Mongabay. With the COVID-19…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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