BORACAY ISLAND – The medium-term plan to safeguard against the ecological degradation of this island and sustain its tourism activities will be implemented soon by the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF).
These strategic interventions are part of P25.27 billion medium-term Boracay Action Plan (BAP) adopted to ensure the island’s rehabilitation over the medium term and sustainable management.
“Ito ay sa pagpapatuloy ng rehabilitasyon mula Phase I, ang pondo ay galing sa iba’t ibang ahensiya ng gobyerno,” said Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional director Francisco Milla, Jr.
For his part, Environment chief Roy Cimatu said the BIATF will include the rehabilitation of government wetlands in partnership with the private sector and monitoring of water quality in Boracay for the remaining one year and four months.
BIATF, headed by DENR, was created by virtue of Executive Order (EO) No. 53 s. 2018.
“Pag-kinulang ang pondo sa rehabilitasyon, we could ask for more funding,” he added.
The Boracay Action Plan focuses on sustainability of activities and programs, putting up affordable, reliable and resilient infrastructure facilities, rehabilitation and recovery of the ecosystem, pollution prevention and control, and enforcement of laws and regulations. At least P15.89 billion will be financed by the private sector.
The Boracay plan hopes to “secure and globally-competitive world-class tourism destination with a vibrant, productive and climate-resilient economy that is geared toward inclusive growth and anchored on the sustainable development of its innate natural resources.”
Last April 26, the island was shut down to tourists for six months by President Rodrigo Duterte. The popular destination reopened on Oct. 26, 2018 upon recommendation of BIATF. (Akean Forum/PN)
