Environment dept questions hotel’s ECC in wake of coral damage
The Coastal and Marine Management Division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will conduct a separate assessment on the damage allegedly caused by the Cebu Yellow Submarine on Lapu-Lapu City’s coral walls.
William Cuñado, officer-in-charge of DENR’s Environment and Management Bureau (EMB) asked to conduct a site verification on the coral reef that was damaged by the tourist yellow submarine in Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City.
He said an EMB inspection held last Thursday revealed that Imperial Palace Water Park and Hotel and Spa violated their Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC).
“We don’t have regulatory hold of Cebu Yellow Submarine. What we are pursuing is whether or not they are consistent with their ECC,” said Edmundo Aregada of the Coastal and Marine Management Division (CMMD).
Cebu Yellow Submarine is attached to a dive shop called Dolgorae a concessionaire of Imperial Palace Water Park Resort and Hotel and Spa to whom the ECC was issued.
It was found out that Imperial Palace has an on-going construction of an amusement building that was not part of their ECC.
“There are facilities that are not included in the ECC like the construction of the amusement and entertainment building,” Cuñado told Cebu Daily News.
This is one of two reasons cited in the Notice of Violation issued by EMB against Imperial Palace released on May 2.
The hotel also failed to install a billboard stating the ECC number and name of the project at the entry and exit points in the area.
“The terms and conditions in the issuance of the ECC or of the standards, rules and regulations issued by EMB pursuant to this decree carries a penalty of suspension or cancellation of his/its certificate and or fine in an amount not to exceed P50,000 for every violation, at the discretion of the EMB,” the notice reads.
The EMB’s compliance report also stated there are complaints about the coral damages allegedly done by Yellow Submarine and that an inquiry is ongoing.
EMB doesn’t have a schedule yet on the technical conference with Imperial Palace to discuss the violation stipulated.
The CMMD in coordination with Task Force Kalikasan of Lapu-Lapu City will conduct the site assessment next week in response to a video posted on YouTube by a Japanese technical diver entitled “Coral Crusher” will be led by Aregada.
