ILOILO City – A few weeks before the much-awaited reopening of Boracay, Environment secretary Roy Cimatu lifted the suspension of the environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) of some business establishments in the world-famous resort island.
Under the Environmental Impact Assessment System, ECCs are issued to projects that pose potential risks or impacts on the environment.
A project proponent is required to secure an ECC before starting operations.
In Memorandum Circular 2018-14 dated Oct. 5, Cimatu gave the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 6 the go-signal to lift the suspension of ECCs issued to “complying” hotels and other establishments in the island.
In July, Cimatu suspended the ECCs of all businesses in Boracay pending a thorough review of their compliance to existing local and national laws.
Memorandum Circular 2018-03 dated July 18 also created a committee composed of representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), EMB and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to review the compliance of these establishments with their respective ECCs.
“In view of the upcoming opening of Boracay Island on Oct. 26 after its closure for six months, the EMB Regional Office 6 is hereby authorized to lift the suspension of ECCs of all complying hotels and establishments in said island,” Cimatu stated in the memo addressed to the regional directors of DENR and EMB in Western Visayas.
In the new memo, Cimatu ordered the committee to continuously monitor all Boracay establishments on their compliance with existing ECCs and environmental management plans.
The DENR chief also directed the committee to submit to him its regular monitoring reports.
“Likewise, the EMB Regional Office 6 shall continue to monitor establishments despite such lifting of suspension of their respective ECCs, and monitor all establishments issued with Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) to ensure their compliance with environmental laws and assure that no violation against the same is committed,” he added.
CNCs are issued to proposed projects that are unlikely to cause adverse environmental impacts.
The DENR has likewise recently begun to issue Certificates of Conditional Approval (CCAs) to establishments considered to be “90 to 95 per cent compliant” to environmental regulations.
Businesses granted CCAs are those that have fulfilled all DENR-related requirements except that on sewage treatment plants (STPs), which may yet be completed or are still undergoing construction.
The CCA allows establishments to proceed to the Department of Interior and Local Government for assessment of permits, and finally to the Department of Tourism for final accreditation and clearance to operate when the island opens.
Cimatu said the issuance of CCAs was in line with the President’s directive to afford the public the “ease of doing business” with government.
As of Oct. 8, DENR has issued CCAs to 159 establishments.
“With the lifting of the ECC suspension for Boracay, we hope to see more business owners complying with environmental laws. We want to believe that Boracay has sincere businessmen who are willing to do business while supporting environmental protection and conservation,” said Regional Executive Director Jim O Sampulna. (DENR-6/PN)
