Tourist slammed for despicable act at beach

A video of a foreign national allegedly burying her child's poo and nappy near the shoreline at Boracay Station 1 in the Philippines recently went viral on social media.

A 100-metre section of Boracay beach was closed off on Wednesday, local time, and will re-open within 72 hours, pending the results of water samples, after a foreign tourist allegedly let her child defecate in its waters, Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.

In this file image, a young girl floats in a rubber ring on Boracay Island, Visayas, The Philippines. Photo / Getty

Puyat urged the public to report such incidents to authorities so perpetrators may face penalties for violating environmental laws.

Malay town's "anti-littering" laws prohibit defecating, urinating, spitting, vandalising and dumping trash in public places like Boracay.

Puyat recommitted to the Philippines' drive to inform tourists of "travel etiquette" when visiting the country.

"We will continue to coordinate with the tour operators and travel agencies in informing our tourists of the proper travel etiquette when visiting the Philippines and the corresponding fines and punishments if these are not followed," she said.

Boracay reopened in October 2018 after a six-month shut down for rehabilitation and environmental restoration.