SC stops Boracay reclamation project

The Supreme Court yesterday ordered the provincial government of Aklan to immediately stop a controversial P1-billion reclamation being implemented at the jump-off point to the island-resort of Boracay in Aklan province.

Midas Marquez, Supreme Court administrator and spokesman, said the high court issued a temporary environment protection order (TEPO) based on the petition filed by members of the Boracay Foundation Inc. The TEPO is similar to a temporary restraining order.

The petitioners, mostly Boracay business owners, asked that the reclamation project be suspended pending the conduct of an environmental impact assessment and for the reclamation permit to be revoked.

“This means that the respondents are being ordered to cease and desist from conducting reclamation activities along the coastlines of Caticlan in Malay, Aklan,” Marquez said in a news briefing.

Aside from the Aklan Capitol, also named respondents in the mandamus petition were the Philippine Reclamation Authority and the Environment Management Bureau.

Marquez said the high court took note of the petitioners’ claims that the 40-hectare reclamation project would only destroy the world-famous white-sand beaches of Boracay. /INQUIRER