Police tracking tourist who buried soiled diaper on Boracay beach

First, we had tourists stealing from their hotels.

Then, there were those who washed their behinds in holy water.

And now, a recent clip which went viral last week revealed one tourist who buried a child's soiled diaper in the middle of Boracay beach.

It's one thing to bury your problems and walk away from it, and another to bury your (literal) crap in a popular tourist beach.

That's just nasty.

The viral video showed a woman, believed to be a tourist, washing a child's privates in the water while another buried a used diaper in the sand at the newly reopened Boracay beach.

It prompted authorities to cordon off the beach on Wednesday (Aug 14) in search of the offending item and to conduct tests to ensure that the beach was safe to visit.

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It had only been nine months since Boracay was reopened to tourists when news of the temporary beach closure was announced.

Having just gone through a rigorous cleanup during its previous six-month closure in a bid to address environmental concerns, the buried nappy posed a threat as it could lead to the festering of water-borne diseases, rendering past efforts futile.

Thankfully, the soiled diaper was quickly recovered (the next day), said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Sunday (Aug 18). The waters have also been certified to be safe.

The incident angered many, including the Philippines government. 

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Said a presidential palace spokesperson in a statement to the press: "We feel insulted with such discourtesy done in the beautiful island this Administration recently rehabilitated with intense and collective efforts employed by various departments and agencies of the government." But he stressed that the act would not be any less offensive if it were committed by Filipinos. 

While the women in the video have yet to be identified, many believe the two to be China tourists.

China tops the list for the number of tourists visiting Boracay in the first half of 2019, while tourists from China and South Korea have been noted to blatantly flout island regulations more than any other group of tourists, reported the South China Morning Post. 

Philippine police are now tracking down the culprits with the help of the local authorities and the Chinese embassy.

Police have also been deployed to patrol the area and safeguard the beach. 

rainercheung@asiaone.com