NORTHERN TREASURE Pagudpud town in Ilocos Norte province is sometimes described the “Boracay of the North,” due to its white sand beaches and clear waters that have been attracting tourists.
LAOAG CITY — Taking its cue from the pollution problems on Boracay Island, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has asked resort and hotel owners in Pagudpud town, Ilocos Norte province, to also ensure that its crystal clear waters and lush forests will be preserved.
During an ocular inspection of the villages of Saud and Balaoi in Pagudpud on March 12, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said some cottages and a zipline were put up at the salvage zone (a no-build area, spanning 25 meters, plus 5 m from the high tide mark zone) and must be cleared before the Lenten season.
Tourist arrivals
Tourist arrivals peak in Pagudpud during summer, beginning with the Holy Week.
In between two annexes of Hannah’s Beach Resort in Barangay Balaoi, environment officials also observed an open canal leading to a blue lagoon.
A recent water sample analysis conducted there indicated that the water had been contaminated, according to the DENR.
In a meeting with resort and hotel owners, Cimatu, a native of Bangui town in Ilocos Norte, reminded them to strictly observe environmental laws, particularly the Clean Water Act and the Solid Waste Management Act, to avoid the fate of Boracay resorts whose illegally built structures had been ordered demolished by the government.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu supervises the inspection of a “no-build” zone in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. —FLORANTE NICOLAS/CONTRIBUTOR
Warning
He also warned Mayor Marlon Sales and local officials that the town government would be held liable if the environment would be neglected under their watch.
Cimatu directed the creation of a task force to focus on Pagudpud’s environmental concerns. It would also file cases against resort owners who would violate environmental laws, he added.
But Ronald Dominguez, spokesperson for Hannah’s Beach Resort and Convention Center, said: “Hannah’s Resort abides by all the rules of the DENR.”
Road repair
The resort also owns a structure at the salvage zone but Dominguez said it was no longer operational.
He said Hannah’s owner, retired Air Force Col. Ricardo Nolasco, had been asking the town government to repair a village road used by tourists in Barangay Balaoi.
During the monsoon season, the road becomes inaccessible and a source of seepage that leads to the blue lagoon. —Leilanie Adriano