The Malay municipal government, through its Waste Water Council, has begun excavations throughout resort destination Boracay as part of its probe into the ongoing pollution situation, a response to President Rodrigo Duterte earlier referring to the locale as a “cesspool” and ordering the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to get a handle of the problem within six months or risk being shut down.

The group is checking on drainage connections of various businesses after over 60 establishments were found to have been dumping untreated sewage water into the ocean.

In their probe so far, some were found to have drainage directing waste from kitchens.

Violators were subsequently issued citations.

The Malay municipal government, which has jurisdiction over the island, presented their six month clean-up plan earlier this week, which also includes a moratorium on new structures while the clean-up process is underway./PLL, WDJ