ILOILO City – Boracay Island has been peaceful one month since it was closed off to tourists, the Police Regional Office 6 said.
No major incidents were reported since April 26 and crimes dropped, police records showed.
But police and other law enforcers continue to surround the island as rehabilitation works continue, said Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, regional police director.
A total of 628 police officers are currently deployed in the island, Binag said.
Among them are 155 from the Boracay Joint Task Force, 99 from the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center, 169 from the Metro Boracay Police Task Force, 136 from the Civil Disturbance Management Company, and 20 from the Administrative Staff.
Only 11 crimes were recorded from April 26 to May 25 compared to 96 in the same period last year – a 88.84-percent decrease in crime volume – police records stated.
Crimes being monitored and used as basis for this record include rape, robbery, theft, motornapping, carnapping, murder, homicide, and physical injury.
According to the Metro Boracay Police Task Force, rehabilitation works are “smooth and fast.”
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the closure of the island resort to give way to much-needed rehabilitation.
Duterte called the top tourist destination in the country a “cesspool,” citing sewerage and garbage management problems there.
Movement of people to and from Boracay and activities in the island are being restricted.
“Everything is going smooth at mabilis ang pag-rehabilitate kasi nagko-cooperate lahat,” Binag said.
According to the Department of Public Works and Highways, 239 structures in the island have been demolished since the closure started for they were built within the 12-meter right of way zone.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources also discovered at the White Beach 43 pipes discharging wastewater into the sea.
The Aklan Provincial Engineering Office is de-silting and rehabilitating all drainage lines, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu had said.
In addition, the Environment department issued notices of violation to 195 establishments for not having sewer line connections.
On May 1 the Metro Boracay Police Task Force created Community Police Action Centers (COMPACs) in the island.
Through the COMPACs, “we were able to identify crime hotspots for effective plotting and deployment of beat, mobile and motorcycle patrols,” Binag said.
Officers were deployed to the streets to help manage vehicular traffic, the regional police director said.
Amid rehabilitation activities, the Land Transportation Office impounded 86 vehicles – 33 were released while 56 were moved to mainland Malay town for the settlement of various traffic violations – said Binag.
Moreover, police created an Information and Action Center, which had so far catered to 256 call and text clients.
The Center also helps prevent tourists from entering the island and enforce the “one entry, one exit” policy.
“Some of our (police) personnel were given a short break before reporting to Boracay again,” Binag said. “Kailangan din natin ang pahinga, so kahit dalawang araw kung makapagpahinga naman sila.”/PN
