150 erring hotels, resorts on Boracay face sanctions

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan— More violators of environmental and building laws and regulations on Boracay would face sanctions following the start of demolition of illegal structures of Boracay West Cove resort, government officials said.

Julian Amador, regional environment executive director, said the business establishments and residential buildings, which have violated building and environmental laws and regulations, would also be demolished if they fail to correct the violations.

Ivene Reyes of the provincial environment and natural resources office  in Aklan, said 150 residential and commercial establishments in Boracay are violating various laws and regulations including the 30-meter easement from the shoreline.

The commercial and residential buildings violate a presidential proclamation issued by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 22, 2006. The proclamation classified 628.96 hectares or 60.94 percent of the 1,032-hectare island as alienable and disposable on the premise that the whole of Boracay is government property.

The proclamation mandates that structures along the shoreline should not be built closer than 30 m from shore on high tide.

Reyes said that of the 150 with violations, 41 are resorts and hotels without environmental certificates of compliance, including 11 major hotels and resorts along the island’s famous white beach.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Western Visayas (DENR-6) was in the process of sending notices of violations. Violators would be given a month to voluntarily remove the structures.

“We will implement the demolition of the structures after a month,” Reyes said.

The DENR, Department of the Interior and Local Government and the local government of Malay in Aklan on Thursday started the demolition of illegal structures of Boracay West Cove.

The demolition, which could last weeks, involves the dismantling of permanent structures outside a 998-square-meter area covered by the Forest Land Use Agreement for Tourism Purposes issued by the DENR to the resort in 2009.

The Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI), a group of around 160 business owners on the island, welcomed the demolition order.

The BFI said the demolition was “an uplifting move initiated by the national government. They have finally intervened in preserving the world’s No. 1 island destination and promote a system that is impartial and beneficial for all concerned. Let this action be a precedent for Boracay’s existing business owners and prospective investor,” the group said in a statement.

The environmental group Madia-as Ecological Movement (MEM) also welcomed the demolition of illegal structures.

But Ma. Geobelyn Lopez, MEM secretary general, questioned why it took government agencies “too long” to start cracking down on illegal structures that have existed on Boracay for decades.

“Why only now? Why wait when the structures have already been built and businesses have been operating illegally for years?”  Lopez said.

She said the alleged violations of Boracay West Cove was “only the tip of the iceberg” and challenged the government to consistently run after all violators.

“We hope that this is not just a show to add glitter for the State of the Nation Address of President (Benigno) Aquino (III) tomorrow (Monday),” Lopez said.