BY PRINCE GOLEZ and ADRIAN STEWART CO
MANILA – Government actions in Boracay Island “mark the beginning of a new national effort,” according to President Rodrigo Duterte who delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday afternoon before the joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
“Other tourist destinations needing urgent rehabilitation and enforcement of environmental and other laws shall soon follow,” said the President.
The President was supposed to start his SONA at 4 p.m. but this was delayed for over an hour due to a leadership row in the House of Representatives.
“Boracay Island, widely regarded as one of our country’s treasures and admired worldwide for its natural beauty, has sadly become the representation of the government’s negligence, including mine,” said the President.
He started his SONA at 5:21 p.m. and wrapped it up at 6:09.
At 48 minutes, it was the President’s shortest SONA so far. His SONAs in 2016 and 2017 went over an hour.
“I could not allow this decay (in Boracay) to continue; decisive action has long been overdue. Recognizing that we are mere stewards of our natural resources, and I said enough is enough,” said the President.
Boracay was closed to tourism activities beginning April 26 for a much-needed six-month cleanup. It is scheduled to open on Oct. 26.
“We intend to restore its environmental integrity, alongside measures to alleviate those whose livelihoods were momentarily affected. Environmental protection and ensuring the health of our people cannot be overemphasized; thus, our actions in Boracay mark the beginning of a new national effort,” said the President.
He urged local government units to proactively enforce environmental laws and “not wait for us (in the national government) to swoop down on your areas just to do your duty and work.”
“Some other time I would have to discuss (this) sa local government units,” the President added.
The President acknowledged that what has happened to Boracay is just an indication of the long-overdue need to rationalize, “in a holistic and sustainable manner,” the utilization, management, and development of lands.
“I therefore urge the Senate to urgently pass the National Land Use Act to put in place a national land use policy that will address our competing land requirements for food, housing, businesses, and environmental conservation. We need to do this now,” he stressed.
Backing the President, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary Roy Cimatu said the government is on the right track to bring back the old glory of the world-famous Boracay.
After the Boracay rehabilitation, Cimatu said, DENR will examine other major tourist destinations, including Palawan, Panglao and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, for possible violations of environmental laws.
The department will open a unit dedicated to the monitoring and improvement of the environmental issues in the country’s tourist destinations, particularly on Boracay Island, he revealed.
“After six months of rehabilitation, we will stay there (Boracay) to make sure that all establishments will continue to follow environmental laws,” Cimatu said.
At the third and last pre-SONA Forum at the Philippine International Convention Center on July 18, the Secretary said, “We will be able to open Boracay again and take pride in bringing back the island to its former glory.”
“Boracay Island will not be seen again as a cesspool,” said Cimatu.
“Cesspool” was how the President described Boracay prior to the island’s closure.
The inter-agency task force led by the DENR has so far removed a number of illegal structures built on areas classified as forestlands and wetlands, said Cimatu.
“We are now rushing to address the deterioration of Boracay within the six-month period given to us by the President,” he said.
The inter-agency task force headed by the DENR has identified establishments that discharge their untreated wastewater directly to the sea. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
