Puerto Galera remains open to tourists despite several shores having failed in the recently-conducted water quality test, Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco said on Wednesday.
"The Puerto Galera tourism continues to be open as well as that there has been no direct attribution in terms of the direct source of the findings, considering the presence of other human and economic activities in Puerto Galera," she said in a press briefing at Malacangan.
According to Frasco, a total of P5.3 million in Puerto Galera's revenue will be lost on a daily basis if the tourism sites in Puerto Galera will be closed.
She also cited that at least 11,000 tourism workers depend on tourism's continuous opening.
"As far as international tourism is concerned, we want to be able to make sure that the viability of Puerto Galera continues. That is why the report indicating that no direct link to the oil spill is something that we welcome positively," she said.
The Tourism Chief said the Department of Health (DOH) has yet to advise a swimming ban and the public can still swim with caution.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the DOH reported that only nine of 35 shores in the municipality of Puerto Galera passed the criteria for water quality guidelines on "oil and grease" contaminants.
