ILOILO CITY, Philippines -- The Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) has accused critics of the controversial markings on its projects on Boracay Island as having diverted attention from the "real" issues on the island.

Some resort owners and residents earlier criticized Philippine Tourism Authority General Manager Robert Dean Barbers for having his name engraved on the PTA seal on the sidewalks of Boracay's main road to mark the P140-million drainage system project. The marking is placed every 25 meters along a two-kilometer stretch from the villages of Balabag to Manoc-Manoc.

Those who criticized the markings said it was improper for a government official to place his name on a project funded by public funds.

But in a statement, the PTA's Boracay Environmental and Infrastructure Project (BEIP) office indicated that the noises made by the resort owners over the seal were meant to divert the public’s attention for the rampant violations of sanitary and environmental regulations on the island.

"Commercial establishments and some uncooperative residents have been diverting the public's attention from the real matters at hand to avoid accountability for their non-compliance with, and violations of the requirements and guidelines of a clean and green Boracay," said lawyer Agnes Bocar, BEIP project manager, in the statement.

She also cited cases of illegal water connections and the cutting of trees to give way to businesses.

"Everybody knows what to do but isn't doing it. What's worse is (they're) blaming everybody else except themselves," said Bocar.

BEIP engineer Mimi del Rosario said in a statement that "so many people are trying to complicate the situation when the issues in Boracay are simple and straightforward."

The PTA said that since 2003, they have been providing most of the infrastructure and facility needs of the island including the water and sewerage systems, the concreting of the road network and the ongoing drainage system project.

A resort owner said that, while the seal controversy was less significant compared to other problems faced by Boracay, "it is a legitimate issue because this involves the use of public funds."

Barbers' name has been replaced with the PTA website address on some but not all of the markings, after news reports came out.

But Barbers denied that he had his name removed from controversial markings as he reiterated that he did not see anything wrong about having his name placed on the seal.

He said he told the contractor, who assured they would shoulder the costs of the replacement, to let his name remain on the other seals.

Barbers also claimed that "only a few people" were criticizing him when his named appeared on the etched seal.