BORACAY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday said it will issue a work stoppage order against all ongoing construction works in Boracay, amid the rehabilitation efforts taking place aimed at bringing the world-renowned island back in shape.
“There has been an agreement that a stoppage order will be issued against all ongoing construction works in Boracay. We already issued one yesterday, we served a stoppage last night. We visited the area a while ago, and they halted their operations,” Richard Fabila, focal person for Boracay DENR-CENRO said in Filipino.
“The stoppage order is for all buildings that are being constructed now, and the ones set to be built,” he added.
However, Fabila said the DENR will allow business establishments to renovate and remodel their structures, in order for them to be compliant with legal and business standards.
“For instance, where will you build? If you built beyond what is allowed, you have to remove structures. And in the process, you have to remodel. And we will allow that,” he said.
For its part, the Department of Tourism clarified that hotels and resorts operating in Boracay that are compliant with business laws will be allowed to improve their buildings and business facilities.
“Hotels and resorts operating in Boracay that wish to make upgrades, remodelling, change of furnishings, change of bathroom fixtures, they will be allowed to do that, and they will be allowed to bring in their supplies,” Tourism Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre said.
“They just need to write officially to the DILG. Certify what kind of work they will do, indicate the number of workers, and the identity of the workers, and we will allow them entry. If they can put how long they will do it, better,” he added.
The tourism department also urged hotels and restaurant owners in Boracay to use the sixth-month rehabilitation period of Boracay to shape up and upgrade their facilities.
The government has closed down the country’s top tourist destination Thursday, in a bid to address environmental woes of the country’s top tourist destination.
The Department of Public Works and Highways started demolishing illegal structures here, while the DENR started cleaning wetlands and remove the algae besieging Boracay’s shoreline, which is reported to be an indicator of worsening pollution in the island. (PNA)
