MANILA – If all sectors help, the rehabilitation of Boracay may be shorter than six months and there could be a “soft opening” of the island.
Boracay will be closed starting April 26 for a much needed cleanup. Wastewater pollution and forestland encroachment are among its environmental problems.
According to Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing III of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the six-month closure period may be made shorter depending on the progress of rehabilitation activities.
“We can have a soft opening of Boracay in three to four months,” said Densing.
The DILG, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Tourism (DOT) lead the interagency task force handling the rehabilitation.
Eligio Ildefonso, executive director of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) under the DENR, described the six-month cleanup as “doable.”
But everyone’s cooperation is key to a quick rehabilitation, stressed Ildefonso.
“NSWMC personnel were able to clear a dumpsite there in less than a month, so more can be done if everyone in Boracay will help and avoid worsening the pollution there,” he said.
According to the DENR, growing population and increasing economic activities have resulted to runaway development in Boracay and this has taken a toll on its environment.
Untreated wastewater is being discharge into the environment, since not all residences and establishments are connected to treatment facilities and sewerage systems.
DOT acknowledged the impending closure’s impact on tourism but played it down as a “temporary setback only.”
Tourism assistant secretary Frederick Alegre said the rehabilitation would result to a better Boracay.
DENR has deployed to the island teams to serve show cause orders to 842 establishments for violating environmental laws.
CRACKDOWN BEYOND CLOSURE PERIOD
DENR will continue its campaign against environmental violations even after the six-month closure period, according to Secretary Roy Cimatu.
“Our task to clean up and make Boracay a livable community and an enhanced tourism destination will be continuing,” he said.
DENR would further guard Boracay against water pollution by fast-tracking work on drainage and sewerage systems there, so the island’s waters could meet international standards, said Cimatu.
“We will continue to go after violators and make sure establishments take corrective measures in accordance with standards,” he added.
Boracay’s wetlands and forestland would be reclaimed and cleared of illegal structures, debris “and whatever else that must not be there, so these ecosystems could recover and flourish anew,” said Cimatu.
“We will establish a habitat in Barangay Yapak to serve as nesting ground for turtles. We will ensure that Puka Beach will really have puka shells,” said Cimatu.
Yapak is one of the three barangays in Boracay. The other two are Balabag and Manoc-Manoc.
Noting Boracay’s many years of unbridled development, Cimatu said the government needs to restudy not only the master plan for the island but for the entire province of Aklan as a prime tourist destination. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
