The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS), through its ECAN Monitoring and Evaluation Division (EMED), has conducted water quality testing within the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP).
According to PCSDS, the testing is part of the monitoring of the bodies of water within the national park, a regular activity with the PPSRNP Management Office and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO).
“Water sample collection and testing aims to identify and establish water quality trends to inform the communities within the area of the occurrence or growth of bacteria or pathogens dangerous to human life and the ecosystem,” PCSDS said.
PCSDS also said that the water samples they collected will be analyzed based on pH level, color, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliforms, oil and grease, settleable solids, nitrates, and phospates.
“The PPSRNP water samples were brought for testing to the PCSD Environmental Laboratory. Once the results of the WQ monitoring test are determined, they will be forwarded to the government of Puerto Princesa City and the PPSRNP Management Office for review and perusal,” it also said.
The PPSRNP management assured that the waters within the national park are of good quality and compliant with government standards.
Park manager Elizabeth Maclang said that they have long addressed the water quality issues of the PPSRNP.
“Ok na yung waters natin within the park. Actually, we have been sharing our good practices with El Nido to help them. Kumbaga, we’ve been there,” Maclang said.
Maclang stressed the importance of community participation in facing the challenges of water quality that El Nido is facing right now.
“Hindi naging madali yung journey pero mahalaga yung ipaintindi yung consequences ng mga hakbang natin sa community. Sa amin naniniwala kami sa sinabi noon ni Doc Gerry [Ortega] na ‘kung may pakinabang, may pakialam’. So kung gusto ng community mas mapakinabangan ang benefits na nakukuha natin sa tourism, kailangan aksyonan natin na mapangalagaan sya,” she said.
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