Boracay hotel shut down for various violations

ILOILO CITY—The local government of Malay town in Aklan province shut down a hotel on Boracay Island for various violations.

Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling issued the closure order on Monday against the Crown Regency Prince Hotel along the main road in Barangay Balabag.

The 36-room hotel was temporarily closed after failing to address the violations despite the issuance of citation tickets.

Rowen Aguirre, municipal executive assistant for Boracay Affairs, said the hotel had no sanitary permits since 2016 and was also found to be illegally discharging waste water to the drainage system which is intended only for surface water.

The hotel’s sewerage treatment plant was non-functional, according to Aguirre.

“The hotel will remain close until they have corrected the violations and after they have been inspected again,’ he told the INQUIRER.

The hotel is one of the four hotels operated on the island by the Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts.

The local government has been cracking down on violators of environmental laws and regulations on the island amid the looming temporarily closure of the island.

An inter-agency task force has recommended to President Duterte the closure of the island for six months starting April 26.

Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones, spokesperson of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), said they have validated the list of 195 establishments not connected to the island’s sewerage system.

The illegal discharge of waste water to the drainage system is considered among the causes of system overflowing and the contamination of the water in some areas on the island.

DENR personnel have also been mapping areas along the main roads of the island that will be affected by road widening in implementation of at least 30-meter road easement.

Leones said they were waiting for the President’s directive but were already preparing for the closure.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu met with local officials and stakeholders on the island on Monday to discuss the action plan in the event the President orders a shutdown on tourism activities on the island.