RP waters tested for contamination

RP waters tested for contamination

MANILA (AP): Officials will check the quality of sea water at the country's beaches following reports of bacterial contamination at the famous Boracay beaches, an official said yesterday.

Environment Secretary Victor Ramos said the government also planed to require popular beach resorts to use colored flags to advise swimmers whether the water was clean or not.

Environment and tourism officials decided on these measures after tests by the environment department late last year showed above-average levels of coliform bacteria, indicating fecal contamination, at many beaches on Boracay Island, the country's top tourist destination.

Ramos said officials planned daily tests of beach waters on Boracay and eventually other popular beaches across the archipelago to protect foreign and local tourists from diseases.

In a radio interview, he said they also planned to eventually require beach resorts to display white flags advising swimmers of unsafe waters or blue flags for clean water, a practice widely followed in Europe.