Philippines’ El Nido beaches remain open during 6-month cleanup
El Nido beaches on the Philippines’ western island province of Palawan will remain open to tourists while a sixth-month cleanup is underway to restore the pristine beauty of the resort area.
A view of a El Nido beach (Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net)
Hanoi (VNA) - El Nidobeaches on the Philippines’ western island province of Palawan will remain opento tourists while a sixth-month cleanup is underway to restore the pristinebeauty of the resort area.
As one of the world’s best resorts,El Nido is famous for its limestone formations, astonishing fine white sandbeaches and turquoise waters.
The Philippines is undertaking amassive cleanup of El Nido after waters in some parts of the islands are foundto be contaminated with human waste.
Speaking to the local media on August1, Philippine Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said swimming and boating willbe banned in some parts of the islands.
Cimatu warned establishments in ElNido to follow the environmental laws or these establishments will be shutdown.
He added that he has ordered thecreation of an inter-agency task force that will look into violations ofestablishments in El Nido.
He said the task force should alsoinclude in its report the establishments who are operating without a permit,without accreditation from the tourism department, and those who put up resortsin the timberlands without permits from the government.
There might be some closure of establishmentsviolating relevant laws, he stated.
Last year, Philippine PresidentRodrigo Duterte ordered the shutdown the world-class Boracay island resort inthe central Philippines. He accused the island’s hotels, restaurants and otherbusinesses of dumping sewage directly into the sea and turning it into a“cesspool.”
After the six-month rehabilitation,Boracay reopened in October 2018.-VNA
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A view of a El Nido beach (Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net) 
