Manila residents celebrate Easter by bathing in polluted Manila Bay

Some families who could not afford to leave the city celebrated Easter Sunday with a dip in the murky waters of Manila Bay. Radio dzBB's Manny Vargas reported that children as young one year were seen swimming in the bay's polluted waters. While the Philippine National Police had teams assigned to watch the Manila Bay area, especially near the US Embassy, they did not stop the bathers, the report said. Manila residents have been taking a dip in the Manila Bay near the US Embassy amid the sweltering heat despite repeated warnings from the Health department and Manila City government that the water may be contaminated. As early as April last year, the Environment department warned the public against taking Holy Week and summer dips in the Bay. The agency earlier warned of the dangers of fecal coliform — rod-shaped bacteria — in the water. Ear infection, dysentery, typhoid fever, viral and bacterial gastroenteritis and hepatitis A are only some of the diseases that people can get from swimming in dirty water. — CGL/NPA, GMANews.TV