BORACAY – To enable the local government unit (LGU) of Malay, Aklan, which has jurisdiction over Boracay, to better address littering in the island resort, an expert is proposing the deployment of secret marshals.
“Malay LGU can deploy marshals who will go around those beaches incognito to monitor possible littering,” said Nolan Francisco, officer-in-charge chief of Environmental Management Bureau’s Solid Waste Management Division.
The secret marshals should immediately report littering incidents to Boracay and Malay authorities for action, said Francisco.
The action may include requiring litterbugs to undertake community service, he added.
The Malay LGU can make arrangements for the deployment, said Francsico, adding that this is in line with Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
“LGUs nationwide are at the forefront in implementing solid waste management,” stressed Francisco.
Last week, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) spearheaded the dry run for Boracay Island’s reopening to the public.
Photographs of scattered cups and other trash in the beach surfaced after the dry run’s opening.
“Some people might not still be aware about the need to dispose their trash properly,” Francisco said.
Under RA 9003 litterbugs face a fine of P300 to P1,000, or required to render community service ranging from one to 15 days.
The government closed Boracay Island to the public for six months this year to help fast-track cleanup and rehabilitation in a bid to save it from further environmental degradation.
The DENR identified garbage accumulation and water pollution as among the environmental problems facing the island.
The department earlier said the dry run is an opportunity to assess and fix, if necessary, the drainage systems and other rehabilitation measures implemented in Boracay. (PNA)
