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Villar opposes 60-day Boracay closure


BORACAY, Aklan — Senator Cynthia Villar said Friday she is not amenable to the plan to close Boracay for 60 days while the government is fixing its environmental problems.

Villar said those who are non-compliant to government rules should be closed while those who follow should be allowed to operate.

"OK lang isara 'yung mga hindi nagko-comply pero yung mga compliant bakit mo naman paparusahan. Parang gusto ko 'yung hindi compliant 'yun ang ipasara," she said.

Villar and other officials conducted an ocular inspection Friday morning on the problematic areas on the island resorts hours before leading the Senate probe on the matter.

 

 

Villar first went to an establishment in Station 1 which has been ordered to demolish a part of its structure that violates the 25 meter plus five meter easement rule.

During the inspection, Jim Sampulna, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 6 director, said the establishment is only 20 meters away from the shoreline.

He added the establishment only has a permit from the local government.

"Pinakamalapit sila (sa shoreline) 20 meters. Ang permit nila galing sa local government lang," he said.

A warning from DENR has been placed on the establishment, stating that it violated Presidential Proclamation 1064 and it should be demolished.

"Dapat ma-demolish, hindi naman nila lupa bakit tatayuan nila, mali naman 'yun. If they don't follow the law, we will be in shambles," said the senator.

She added the establishment has no Environmetal Compliance Certificate.

"Dapat kumuha ng ECC at permit sa local government. Malimit sa kanila sa local government lang kumuha ng permit at hindi sa DENR. Hindi pwede yun dapat dalawa talaga," Villar said.

Villar's group next visited the sewage treatment plant of Boracay Island Water Co. Inc.

The senator questioned the water concessionaire on the sewerage problem in the island.

"When you do the water concession, you take care of the sewer kasi sa Water Bill kasama yung sewer. So kung may problema sa sewer responsibility yan ng water concessionaire or provider di ba," said Villar.

Joseph Michael Santos, general manager and chief operating officer of Boracay Water, said they are catering to the other service provider's water because some establishments are dually connected.

"Tinatanggap namin 'yung sewer and waste water coming from other establishments when it is mandated that all hotels and establishments should be connected to the sewer network," he said.

Villar said the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority should make sure that the establishments follow the law.

She added that since there are two water service provider, they should have clear area division.

Villar said the two water providers are now tossing the blame on each other.

"Dito walang division, they are all over the place kaya hindi malaman kung kanino nagkakaloko loko ang sewer. Ngayon nagtuturuan na sila kasi dalawa sila," she said.

The group also visited a wetland which was supposed to be uninhabited but now has houses and the material recovery facility in Barangay Manocmanoc.

Posters appealing to authorities not to close Boracay have been placed in several areas on the island resort. — RSJ, GMA News

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