The specter of a six-month closure now looms over the globally renowned tourist town of El Nido following the renewed detection of high coliform levels in its waters, triggering health concerns and raising questions about the long-term sustainability of tourism in the area.
The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) confirmed that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is assessing whether the town should be placed under rehabilitation. This comes after tests conducted this year showed that some of El Nido’s coastal waters exceeded the safe limit of 100 most probable number (MPN) of fecal coliform per 100 milliliters of water — the standard set for recreational activities.
Coliform bacteria, which originate from human and animal waste, are not inherently dangerous but indicate the possible presence of more harmful pathogens. Ingesting contaminated water can lead to acute gastrointestinal illnesses. According to the Department of Health (DOH), the number of diarrhea cases in El Nido began to rise in April 2025 and has continued into June, aligning with environmental monitoring data.
While tourism has long served as the backbone of El Nido’s economy, local infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the industry’s rapid growth. In 2023, the town received over 550,000 tourists — a number nearly 20 times larger than its permanent population, which stands at just over 45,000, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Despite the construction of a centralized sewage treatment plant in 2019 following a DENR intervention, only 3.3% of households are connected to it, based on current figures from PENRO. The majority continue to rely on outdated septic tanks, including “bottomless” tanks that leach untreated waste into the ground and nearby marine ecosystems.
The DENR has long warned that residential wastewater — more than that of hotels or commercial establishments — remains a major contributor to groundwater and coastal contamination. In contrast, around 82% of tourism-related establishments are connected to proper wastewater systems, although some violations still persist.
That same year, Boracay underwent a six-month closure, which served as a blueprint for El Nido’s own rehabilitation strategy. A 2019 GMA News report noted that coliform levels dropped by 40% within months of El Nido’s compliance measures, including demolitions of illegal structures, zoning enforcement, and limits on visitor numbers per island.
The El Nido Chamber of Commerce has expressed concern over the possibility of a full closure. In statements released through local media, the group is advocating for the government to penalize non-compliant establishments instead of resorting to a blanket shutdown that would impact even those already adhering to environmental regulations.
Tourism stakeholders warn that a prolonged suspension of operations could displace thousands of workers, many of whom are still recovering from the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At present, the DENR has not issued a formal closure order but is monitoring compliance and conducting inspections in collaboration with the local government and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB). A decision on whether to push through with the six-month closure is expected before the end of the third quarter of 2025.
Government officials say that even if El Nido avoids closure, major overhauls are needed to prevent future contamination crises. These include increasing household connections to the sewage treatment facility, transitioning informal settlers to proper sanitation systems, and expanding the town’s environmental compliance monitoring units.
