Study: Pujada Bay is clean
CONTRARY to reports that the Pujada Bay's pollution level is at an alarming state, the Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU) confirmed that the bay remains "Class A” based on their latest study.
In a press statement from the Mati City Information Office, Dr. Lea A. Jimenez, director of the DOrSU-based Regional Integrated Coastal Resource Management Center (RIC-Davao), said that the research study entitled “Nutrient Mapping of Pujada Bay” conducted by the research team under RIC-Davao in 2015 had eight water sample stations spread all over the bay.
However, only two stations located near the coastal areas known as residential areas have registered the “presence of disease-causing microorganisms like the Escherichia coli found to be higher than the standard of <1.1 MPN (most probable number) on declared protected areas.”
The study is in response to the story released by news site Rappler entitled “Davao Oriental State University study confirms Pujada Bay’s alarming pollution levels,” published on August 19, 2022.
Jimenez lamented how the result of their study was “pinned” to put Pujada Bay in a bad light which is the second time Rappler published.
The first article entitled “Pujada Bay a virtual cesspool,” published on June 28, 2022, claimed that “a Philippine Environmental Management Bureau (PEMB) study showed that the fecal coliform contamination of Pujada Bay has already reached more than 2,000 parts per million which is way beyond the tolerable level of 200 ppm.”
Two environment officials also denied the article quoted as the source for his story.
In a released statement dated September 1, DOrSU affirmed that Pujada Bay remains to be one of the most beautiful bays in the world.
“The concentration of E.coli is still within the allowable level for coastal waters of 70MPN/100 according to DENR AO [Administrative Order] 34. Generally, the detected E.coli is still within the tolerable limit. But it is recommended for close monitoring, particularly the activities in the identified stations and their vicinity that may serve as the source of E.coli to arrest any possible increase of contamination,” the DOrSu statement read.
"Pujada Bay is still pristine, despite the identified vulnerable areas which the proper authorities might take necessary measures and mitigation," Jimenez stated.
In the latest study released in 2021 by DOrSU entitled “Water Profile of Pujada Bay: Implications to Management and Conservation,” the number of water sampling stations was increased to 28, of which only four stations have registered beyond the standard MPN, while the 24 other stations spread all over the Pujada Bay showed normal levels.
Amy G. Ponce, a research assistant of the DOrSU team that conducted the latest study, said that the Rappler contributor also approached her for the latest story, where she specifically stated to the writer that her professional opinion is that Pujada Bay remains a Class A bay.
The total area of Pujada Bay is 174.48 square kilometers and is a protected landscape and seascape. The bay and two other bays — Mayo and Balete, were recently included in the list of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World (MBBW) back in 2020.
The DOrSU study was among the works of literature submitted for consideration by the MBBW organizer’s declaration on Pujada, Mayo, and Balete bays. (RGL)