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BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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Thursday, March 8, 2018
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BORACAY – The declaration of a state of calamity will accelerate the efforts to restore this famed tourist destination, according to Sen. Cynthia Villar.
The island is under fire for its environmental problems, which are currently being addressed after President Rodrigo Duterte tasked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Interior and Local Government to do so.
The President announced on Tuesday he would place Boracay under a state of calamity to easily solve the island’s sewage and garbage problems.
“Mas magaan mag-implement if there’s state of calamity kaysa walang state of calamity…in terms of budget, in terms siguro of power. Kaya siguro niya (Duterte) gusto iyon so that the national government can do what it has to do in Boracay,” said Villar, the chairwoman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources.
She stressed that placing the island under a state of calamity would reduce the bureaucratic red tape hampering rehabilitation efforts.
“It’s more power and easier pa iyon para you don’t have to go through the bidding process na mahahaba. And then if you want to give money, you can give more without the procurement law. Siguro iyon ang ikinatatakot nila. Alam mo naman ang government, bureaucratic. Parang babawasan lang ang bureaucracy to be able to do the job well,” the senator added.
On the other hand, Villar denied the alleged conflict of interest in the Senate investigation on Boracay.
The article “Family of senator conducting Boracay probe owns huge commercial properties on island resort” that investigative journalist Raissa Robles wrote claimed that the Villars bought the 54-room Boracay Sands in 2016.
Villar said her family has “a very small investment” in the tourist hotspot.
If it closes, “walang effect sa aming kumpanya. So I don’t care,” Villar stressed. “I don’t think it will affect our business kahit isara nila ang Boracay. I have done so much for the environment and I am still doing it. Ako nga ang nakikipaglaban para ma-maintain ang wetlands sa Las Pinas-Paranaque so I don’t think there is conflict of interest.”/PN
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