BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan — The local government unit (LGU) of Malay presented its six-month clean-up plan for Boracay to stakeholders of the island on Tuesday afternoon.
The activity held at Boracay Ecovillage Convention Center was attended by almost 1,000 business owners, expatriates, residents, and local officials.
The LGU’s action plan is in response to the challenge of President Rodrigo Duterte to address the environmental and other problems now besetting the island.
Part of the six-month agenda is the moratorium on the construction of new buildings in Boracay.
The guidelines for the moratorium to be implemented starting March to December 2018 would still be finalized, said Executive Assistant Rowen Aguirre of the Malay LGU.
The LGU also vowed to continue the demolition of illegal structures violating the 30-meter easement rule for the beachfront establishment and the road setback.
Based on the inventory of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, at least 300 beachfront establishments are violating the easement rule.
Malay Mayor Ceciron Cawaling also said the LGU would impose the 12-meter road setback instead of the 30-meters as imposed in the Presidential Proclamation 1064 in 2006.
Vice Mayor Abram Sualog likewise said that a resolution for the amendment on the road setback rule was approved by the Sangguniang Bayan of Malay and will be submitted to the DENR.
To address the issue on sewage problem, the LGU also vowed that they will closely monitor the ongoing drainage project of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and vowed to go after businesses with illegal connections.
The incomplete drainage problem is blamed as one of the factors for the flooding problem in the island.
Some businesses on the island were also found connecting their sewage lines illegally to the drainage system.
The LGU also vowed to address the traffic and solid waste problem here.
Meanwhile, members of the business group including the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Boracay Chapter and Boracay Foundation Inc. pledged their commitment to support the programs of the LGU to save Boracay. (Karen Bermejo/PNA)
