Resort owner in Boracay gargles ocean water to prove its cleanliness

A resort owner in Boracay gargled the water he swam in to prove to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that beaches surrounding the tourist destination remain safe for swimming.

Cris Aquino created a video where he gargled water from his resort, West Cove Boracay, to prove that waters around the resort island remain clean despite it struggling with fecal coliform levels and algae since 2015.

Aquino said on Wednesday in an interview on Unang Balita that parts of the island, including Ilig Iligan Beach and Balinghay Beach, remain sanitary and safe for swimming.

He then challenged Rowen Aguirre, spokesperson for the mayor of Malay, Boracay, to gargle the waters at Bulabog Beach.

"Mumugin ko 'yung tubig dito sa harap ko. Mumugin niyo din diyan sa Bulabog," Aquino said.

The challenge was made after Aguirre accused West Cove of violating water sanitation codes in an interview with GMA News reporter Jiggy Manicad.

Aquino agreed with President Rodrigo Duterte's call to fix the sanitation and sewerage issues of the island due to the multiple abuses he has seen from illegally-constructed establishments.

"Talaga hong inabuso. Wala nang malanguyan 'yung mga tao dahil madumi nga ho," he said.

"'Pag natapos na po 'yung construction, 'yung mga workers po 'di na po lumalabas ng isla dahil marami pa hong projects dito. 'Yun namang may agawan sa lupa, pinapaupahan nila ng ilegal. 'Yan po 'yung mga walang septic vaults."

"'Pag umulan po ng malakas, aagos din ho talaga dito sa baba. Kung mababa area mo, andito sa beach. Kaya tama lang ho na i-relocate sa mainland," Aquino later added.

He then accused members of the Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) of building a boarding house with poor sewerage.

"Kahit na 'yung BFI, alam niyang madumi 'yung Bulabog. Kahit may boarding school siya dun, hinahayaan lang niyang magkasakit, magkaron ng impeksyon, UTI, kahit 'yung mga boarder," he said.

"Siya nakakaalam kung gaano kalinis, karumi ang tubig dun. E 'di dapat sinasara na nila 'yun," Aquino added.

West Cove Resort was on a 25-year lease contract, with no accreditation, with the government since 2009. It was canceled in 2014 by the DENR and is under assessment by the Office of the President.

The resort has its own septic vault that it dislodges every year.

Aquino previously faced charges for alleged extensive building on a limestone formation on the island.

Local government, those in charge of the island's water facilities, and private stakeholders will meet with the DENR soon to discuss the "cesspool" Duterte claimed the island had become. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News