HEALTH HAZARD. A watchman of Barangay Dadiangas South in General Santos City surveys the surroundings of the public Queen Tuna Beach on Friday (Aug. 26, 2022) after its shorelines have been found to contain a high level of fecal coliform. The Environmental Management Bureau in Soccsksargen has advised the city government to prohibit swimming, fishing, or any activity in the area as it poses risk to human health. (Photo by Guia Rebollido)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Soccsksargen (EMB-12) has called the attention of the city government about the dismal state of a public beach here.
EMB-12 Director Omar Saikol issued the call Friday after they again found in their laboratory analysis a high level of fecal coliform along the highly-populated portions of the city’s coastlines.
“There is a high coliform level at the Queen Tuna Park, so we issued an advisory. We hope that the local government unit (LGU) will heed. No swimming in that area for now,” he said.
This city is positioned along the coast of Sarangani Bay, a protected seascape.
Saikol said they already made representations with the City Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) about the matter and advised them to prohibit swimming, fishing, or any activity in the area as the high level of coliform poses risk to human health.
“The move is not for the closure of the businesses there, only to stop swimming there until such time the coliform issue is resolved,” he said.
The coliform level is higher than the allowable limit in that area, he said.
Queen Tuna Park is a beachfront area where eateries and food stalls operate in a nightly flea market.
Meanwhile, CENRO head Allan Marcilla said they have taken steps about the matter and were informed that the leaders of Barangay Dadiangas South, which has jurisdiction of the public beach, had deployed watchmen to prevent people from going into the water.
Coliform contamination has been a recurring problem in the area, which is popular among residents for its accessibility.
EMB-12 traced the coliform to have come from human and animal wastes dumped into the bay. (PNA)
