Easement violators in Boracay have until Aug. 28 to dismantle structures

Boracay. FILE PHOTO

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The owners of temporary structures violating easement regulations on Boracay Island have until August 28 to voluntarily take them down.

After Wednesday, remaining structures will be dismantled by a multi-agency task force mandated to regulate development on the island, according to the Department of Tourism.

Helen Catalbas, Western Visayas tourism director, said notices of violation have already been sent to the owners of resorts, hotels, residences and offices violating the 30-meter easement long the shoreline required by law.

“The violators will be given opportunity to remove the structures until the deadline. They can appeal for an extension but this will be on a case to case basis,” Catalbas told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The DOT is the lead agency in the Technical Working Group (TWG) tasked to review and regulate the development activities in Boracay and Baguio City. The TWG also includes the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Justice and the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Catalbas said that the permanent structures violating the easement requirement would be the next to be removed, also after the owners fail to voluntarily dismantle these.

The easement is among the most violated building and environmental requirement in Boracay which has been plagued by unregulated development due to the failure or weak enforcement of laws and ordinances.

The famous white beach stretching four kilometers on the 1,032-hectare island has increasingly been crowded by tents and parts of restaurants, bars and hotels as tourist arrivals continue to reach record levels.

The TWG has identified at least 293 structures that are violating the 30-meter easement requirement.

These include six government-owned buildings, 39 bar and restaurants, 24 sport establishments, 94 resorts and hotels and 130 houses or villas.