Let’s look at Significant Parameters: Hotels, motels, resorts, dormitories and other accommodations

Under DENR Administrative Order No. 2016-08, significant effluent quality parameters are parameters specific to the processes of an establishment.

For Hotels, motels, resorts, dormitories and other accommodation services, the significant parameters are as follows:

For Hotels, motels, resorts, dormitories and other accommodation services, the significant parameters are as follows:

1. BOD

2. Fecal Coliform

3. Ammonia

4. Nitrate

5. Phosphate

6. Oil and Grease

7. Surfactants

Assuming that the aforementioned accommodation and food services discharge their effluents to Navigable Waters (Class D), the water quality guidelines (WQG) for the establishments are:

MPN/100 ml - Most Probable Number per 100 milliliter MBAS – Methylene Blue Active Substances

The Puerto Princesa Underground River is an 8.2 km navigable river that winds through a cave and flows out directly into the West Philippine Sea. Hotels, motels, resorts, dormitories and other accommodation services located along the Puerto Princesa Underground River must look out for the aforementioned parameters and their values, to maintain the eco-tourism activities in the area and maintain the Seven Wonders of Nature status of the river.

Sources:

DENR Administrative Order No. 2016-08: Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016 implements Section 19c and 19f of Republic Act (RA 9275, otherwise known as the Philippine Water Act of 2004, and Executive Order 192 (Providing the Reorganization of the Department of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources, renaming it as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources), dated June 10, 1987.

Navigable Waters, retrieved from www.denr.gov.ph in July, 2016

Puerto Princesa Underground River, retrieved from www.youtube.com in July, 2016