Trash ends up in El Nido lagoon

MANILA, Philippines — Heaps of trash washed up in a famous lagoon in El Nido, Palawan, an unusual sight in a place known for its pristine beaches.

In a Facebook post that has gone viral, Ianna Reyes expressed disappointment when she saw garbage, mostly plastic bottles, in Secret Lagoon on Miniloc island during her visit earlier this week.

“We went there despite the big waves... When we saw the entrance, it was blocked by… plastic bottles. I was baffled and angry,” Reyes said.

She said tour guides told them that nobody visited the area in the past few weeks because of heavy monsoon rains.

“I asked our tour guides to... gather the garbage, but we only had two sacks with us. We couldn’t get it all so I felt like I have the responsibility to share this to raise awareness that we should all be mindful of our garbage,” Reyes said.

In an interview over Radyo Bandera on Friday, El Nido municipal administrator Rene Jay dela Calzada clarified that the garbage only washed up and were not left behind by tourists.

“When there are strong winds and big waves, garbage from the sea enter here through Bacuit Bay,” Dela Calzada said.

 Reyes told The STAR that she only wanted to raise awareness on proper waste disposal, adding that she does not intend to harm tourism in Palawan.

“It may be washed away by habagat... but it is still garbage... I want people to look at the big picture. We shouldn’t expect the locals to clean... our mess,” Reyes said.

Reyes’ Facebook post has so far been shared 23,000 times.