The Philippines is known for its white-sand beaches and turquoise lagoons. It is home to renowned surf spots, one of which is the famous “Cloud 9” waves in General Luna, Siargao. However, beach resorts on the island have been facing a pressing issue on wastewater treatment, which has an effect on the sustainability of Siargao’s tourism.
“The previous septic tanks of the resort have a bottomless design, so the wastewater drains straight into the sea. The contamination of the water is one of the biggest problems of resorts on the island,” Editha Gonzales, former general manager of Travellers Pension House and Beach Resort in General Luna, Siargao, said in mixed Filipino and English.
Cleaning up wastewater has been a real challenge and poses a serious environmental threat. To address this concern, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) supported a research project to develop a wastewater cleanup technology.
The Eco-Friendly Septic System, or Eco-Sep, is a self-sustaining, portable and movable wastewater-treatment system that uses an innovative combination of bio-stimulation and filtration enhanced with organominerals, a technology developed by Dr. Merlinda Palencia through the support of DOST-PCIEERD.
The Eco-Sep’s Vigormin Organo Mineral (ViOM) is an odorless, white powder composed of various organominerals that has the capability to neutralize the odor and mucky color in wastewater or septic water.
Its application significantly improves water quality based on the effluents standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Following the successful tests of Eco-Sep in the sewerage systems of the bunkers of Supertyphoon Yolanda survivors in Palo, Leyte, in 2013 and on materials-recovery facilities (MRFs), hotels, jetty ports and households in Boracay in 2015, DOST Caraga installed and field-tested Eco-Sep in selected tourism areas and environmentally compromised areas through a DOST-PCIEERD-funded project, titled “Field Testing of Eco-Friendly Septic System for the Tourism Sector in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte,” Project FRESH.
“Since Eco-Sep was installed here at the resort we have a proper drainage for wastewater. We use it watering the plants. It has no odor and clean. We thank the DOST for making us a recipient of Eco-Sep,” Gonzales said.
She also thanked the DOST for providing the resort one-year supply of ViOM. She noted that after a year of full implementation of the improved sewerage system through Eco-Sep, their resort is proud to have met the effluent standards set by DENR.
Enjoining the jump-start, Sugba Lagoon in the municipality of del Carmen also on Siargao Island will also be launching its Eco-Sep on February 10.
Realizing the positive outcome, other hotels, beach resorts and local government units on the island have inquired and expressed adopting Eco-Sep.
Dr. Enrico Paringit, executive director of DOST-PCIEERD, expressed assurance that such projects in the future will continually be supported.
“We will continue to provide solutions to societal problems through strategic research and development,” he said.
Paringit said that the DOST-PCIEERD will take the lead in conducting collaborative efforts to maintain and protect the environment and the country’s ecotourism through science and technology interventions.
S&T Media Service
Image credits: Travellers Beach Resort