Resort owners: Don’t close Boracay

BORACAY, Philippines —Amid proposals to shut down businesses in the world-famous Boracay Island for 60 days due to degradation and pollution, several hotels, resorts and private developments here claimed they have already complied with environmental laws.

But the Department of the Interior and Local Government said there would be dismantling of illegal structures if the 60-day closure that it is pushing the “soonest possible time” will be carried out.

DILG Assistant Secretary for Plans and Programs Epimaco Densing III said the fate of the island would be known during the Cabinet meeting with President Duterte tomorrow.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) earlier served notice of closure to some 300 establishments found to have not connected with the sewage system and with no proper water system.

“Many of these 300 establishments have complied (with the requirements),” a source from the tourism industry said.

Many workers in the island also expressed fear of losing their jobs due to the planned closure of the island to fix environmental problems.

The local government of Malay, Aklan and business group Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) also opposed the closure of the island even temporarily, saying the thousands of individuals working in the area, along with their dependents, must be considered.

On Friday, the Senate committee on environment chaired by Sen. Cynthia Villar, conducted an investigation into the island’s degradation.

Senators Nancy Binay, Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva and Juan Miguel Zubiri were also among those present during the inquiry.

Villar and Legarda also opposed the proposals to close all establishments in the island, saying the establishments complying with the laws should be rewarded by allowing them to continue operating while those that violate them should be penalized to the full extent of the law.

Officials of the Global-Estate Resorts Inc., developer of 150-hectare Boracay Newcoast in the northeastern part of the island, for instance, said they have put in place the infrastructure for environmental protection even before the Boracay closure issue broke out.

Sixty percent of the entire development is dedicated to green and open spaces as it is surrounded by the island’s first and only golf course, according to Jennifer Romualdez, first vice president of Global-Estate Resorts.

“We also made sure that we only build structures beyond 30 meters from the beach. We even farther exceed to what the rule requires,” Romualdez said.

Rowel Aguirre, executive assistant of Malay, Aklan Mayor Ciceron Cawaling and Nenette Graf, BFI president, said there must be a carefully laid out plan for the island amid the issue of its degradation to avoid crippling the tourism industry not only of Aklan but also parts of Western Visayas if plans to close the island will push through.

Like Villar and Legarda, Graf said those following the laws must not be sanctioned along with those who allowed illegal structures to be built, including local and national officials. “Let the axe fall on those responsible for allowing violators to operate,” Aguirre and Graf said in a statement.

Investigating team

The DILG has created a special investigating team that will probe the environmental crisis on Boracay Island.

DILG officer-in-charge Undersecretary Eduardo Año said yesterday the 12-man team will also file cases against government personnel and private individuals found liable for the environmental problem in the popular tourist destination.

“We will ensure that those responsible we be held accountable,” Año said in a statement.

The team is led by Densing and Senior Executive Assistant Jerry Loresco as vice chairperson.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo recommended that the 60-day closure be implemented by June 1 or the start of the lean season but this could be too late, according to Densing. –With Romina Cabrera, Jennifer Rendon, Emmanuel Tupas, Rhodina Villanueva, Marvin Sy

Related video: