How do we solve this problem called Boracay?
Boracay is not just an environment issue. Far beyond that are the socio-economic and political implications, the impact on income, employment, and livelihood of that island's closure. The question of nurturing nature and environment, the importance of cleanliness and sanitation, the need for people to be disciplined, the importance of community cooperation, the utmost necessity for local leaders to be hands-on, to be focused, to be consistently on top of the situation, even to micromanage the finest details of protecting the beaches and the natural environment that constitute Boracay's value. Also, the need for a unifying government structure taking responsibility for all government interventions on a sustained basis.
To solve the Boracay imbroglio, the president should form a Task Force Boracay to be the overall in-charge of rehabilitating and developing the island long-term. One important dimension of this collective national effort is livelihood and income during the six-month closure. This aspect should be led by DOLE and NEDA in partnership with business organizations. Technical training and vocational skills building should be spearheaded by TESDA and other agencies in partnership with civic organizations and church-based NGOs. The matter of training local officials on local governance should be led by the Civil Service Commission, the DILG and the provincial government of Aklan in tandem with Region 6 Development Council. We should make use of this six-month period (which, to my mind, can be extended to another six months) to empower the local people and develop human capital.
Problem-solving should not only be reactive to address long-drawn problems but also strategic, to draw a long-term development plan for the island, including the development of people and organizations. It is time now for Rotary, Jaycees, Lions, the Chamber, Couples for Christ, Knights of Columbus and the like to cross boundaries and hold hands together. Let us rebuild Boracay and show the younger generations how to care for our environment and nurture our habitat. Let us also change the mindsets of our workers and open their attitudes to a paradigm of harmony, cooperation, and collective productivity.
To solve the Boracay problem, it takes the whole nation to set aside our partisan and parochial motives. We need an inspiring leader who can rally people around the work to be done, not being obstructed by politics, and other boundaries of ideology, religious beliefs, gender, and regional divides. We should act with enough sense of urgency and patriotism. Boracay is our national treasure. Because of Boracay, many foreigners come to our country and look at it with awe and admiration. Boracay is God's gift to the Filipino people. We owe it to ourselves and to our future generation to revive the purity, cleanliness, and beauty of Boracay.
While others are still sleeping, and some are still thinking, we should stand up, let's roll up our sleeves and go help an island in distress. Let us all help to make Boracay once again the best beach destination in the whole world.
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