Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and his staff inspect natural and man-made features at the controversial West Cove resort, which volunteered to demolish its own illegal structures. —LYN RILLON/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The crackdown on pollution in Boracay, a world-famous resort island, which President Duterte said development had turned into a “cesspool,” showed no sign of slowing down, with more than 200 cases of environmental violations already filed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
In a press statement on Saturday, the DENR said as of Feb. 26—just two weeks after Mr. Duterte ordered a cleanup of Boracay—the department had already issued 207 notices of violations to establishments found violating environmental rules.
The notices were issued to 116 establishments found violating the Philippine Clean Water Act, 77 for violating the Philippine Clean Air Act, five for violating both laws and nine for operating without an environmental compliance certificate.
Sewage in the sea
Sewage facilities of at least 578 establishments had been surveyed and inspected and only 383 were found to be connected to the sewage line of the island’s water and sewage system providers. The rest dumped untreated sewage directly to the sea.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu also directed Boracay Island Water Corp. to repair and rehabilitate its wastewater treatment plants in the villages of Manoc-Manoc and Balabag. The treatment facility in Balabag had exceeded its capacity, emitting foul odor.
The DENR also issued notices of violations, cease and desist orders, and demolition notices to at least 100 illegal settlers, a mall and a hotel found encroaching in four out of nine wetlands in Boracay, contributing to water pollution.
“We will reclaim all nine wetlands,” Cimatu said.