PICCI taps Mactan Rock for water treatment facility

CEBU, Philippines — The Panglao Island Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PICCI) has tapped Mactan Rock Industries Inc., (MRII) to help small businesses to meet the government’s requirement to set up proper waste water treatment facility.

PICCI president Rommel Gonzales together with other members of the group met with MRII chairman Antonio Tompar early this week to consider the company's proposal of setting up a shared waste treatment facility, especially in smaller resorts and restaurants that cannot afford to invest on single treatment facility.

Prior to President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to shutdown Boracay business in six months if establishments fail to comply with environmental requirement, MRII already expressed its willingness to set up a waste treatment facility for small businesses on the island via Build-Own-Operate-Management concept.

Under the proposal MRII will fund the establishment of the shared facility through an environmental related financial access being offered by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). Users will only have to pay per cubic meter usage for a certain number of years, until it will be fully paid off by the users.

Except for the huge hotel and restaurant properties on Panglao Island, small businesses don't have proper waste treatment, as it usually requires huge investment.

The recent meeting with PICCI and Tompar was also attended by resorts, dive shops and restaurants such as Alona Q, Pado Dive Shop, Bohol Divers, Pyramid, Lost Horizons, Aquatica, Hennan Resort, among others.

According to Tompar, MRII will use the same technology it is currently using at the South Road Properties (SRP) and Mactan Export Zone (MEZ-1) waste treatment facility.

The facility will produce a clear and disinfected or sanitized water that can be recycled or safe for ocean disposal.

MRII expects to spend at least P3 million to set up a facility that will treat 200 cubic-meter waste a day.

Duterte recently threatened to shut down Boracay Island due to the island’s dysfunctional sewerage system. Several beachfront establishments have also been accused of violating easement rules.

To avoid similar issue, Panglao Island led by PICCI is already making moves to protect the health of the island and heed the government's call for total environmental compliance.