Boracay now like a 'Metro Manila with beachfront,' Zubiri says

MANILA, Philippines — The once-pristine island of Boracay is now like Metro Manila with a beachfront property, according to Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, as the Senate investigates the environmental woes hounding the popular tourist destination.

 

According to Zubiri, the first thing he noticed upon arrival on the island was the very narrow roads which led him to compare the tourist destination to Divisoria in Manila and Cartimar in Pasay City, two popular bargain markets in Metro Manila.

 

“When you arrive in the pier, the first thing you notice is the very narrow roads. You are like in Divisoria, and you are like going to Cartimar in Pasay,” he said in his opening statement in the Senate hearing in Boracay.

 

“We are now like Metro Manila with a beachfront property,” he added.

 

Boracay’s environmental problems were spotlighted after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to close down the island for being a “cesspool.”

 

Media reports have shown areas on the island where the deterioration was severe, with untreated wastewater openly being discharged to the water and sewers left uncovered.

 

This has resulted in a very high level of coliform bacteria in some areas of the island, according to Sen. Joel Villanueva, who said that such organisms were brought by the presence of human wastes in the water.

 

He said that only 118 of the 2,600 establishments in Boracay have discharge permits for their water wastes.

 

He also wondered where the P150 million in annual environmental fees collected from Boracay tourists went if the island’s environment was not properly maintained.

 

Villanueva, however, said that he was not in favor of shutting the island down for six months as this would affect more than 90,000 workers dependent on the island’s tourism for a living.

 

“There should be a balance between economic and environmental sustainability,” he said.

 

Sen. Loren Legarda meanwhile said that these problems would not have surfaced had environment and local officials properly implemented the country’s environmental laws.

She said that only half of the 17.5 million liters of wastewater generated per day in Boracay were treated.

 

She added that 30 to 40 percent of the untreated wastewater came from both business establishments and local residents.

“If we simply comply with environmental laws already enacted by Congress, we would not have to be here to investigate ourselves,” Legarda said.

During the hearing, it was revealed that five of the nine wetlands in Boracay had been encroached upon by business establishments, and this was one of the reasons for the water pollution on the island, according to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.

Zubiri also revealed that 173 establishments in the area were operating without Environment Clearance Certificates and asked local officials how these businesses were able to operate.