By Azer Parrocha – PNA
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte and his Cabinet have decided not to issue an executive order (EO) to rehabilitate beaches in Panglao Island, Bohol and El Nido, Palawan, Malacañang said Wednesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said this was decided during Tuesday night’s Cabinet meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room in Malacañang.
“On the rehabilitation of Panglao Island in Bohol and El Nido in Palawan, the Cabinet agreed that there is no need to issue an Executive Order,” Panelo said in a press statement.
Despite Panglao and El Nido having similar environmental problems as the newly-rehabilitated Boracay Island, the inter-agency task force earlier said there is no need for a total closure to proceed with its rehabilitation.
Members of the task force, including Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat, inspected El Nido last month and discussed plans to rehabilitate the tourist destination.
Puyat has already raised the idea of replicating the government’s effort to rehabilitate Boracay Island in other tourist destinations in Bohol and Palawan.
This, after President Duterte, in an event in Palawan, reminded the local government and residents there to “protect” the environment by preventing overcrowding in the island.
On Oct. 26, Boracay Island reopened after six months of intensive rehabilitation to fix its environmental problems, particularly the sewerage system.
The allowed tourist population on Boracay Island is only 19,215 per day.
