ILOILO City – A total of 239 structures were already demolished in Boracay amid the island’s ongoing rehabilitation and closure, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
These structures are illegal for they are built within the 12-meter right of way zone as provided for under a municipal ordinance of Malay, Aklan.
“Illegal structures in the sense na pumasok sila doon sa 12 meters na right of way,” said District Engineer Noel Fuentebella of the Aklan District Engineering Office.
The structures were composed of fences, parking lots, commercial establishments, and houses.
Fuentebella clarified that the structures were not totally destroyed, only those within the right of way zone.
“Actually, hindi naman buong building ang ina-alis kundi tinatapyas lang namin. Ang iba nga bakod lang e. Ang ibang naka-usling building, tsiina-chop namin,” Fuentebella said.
The owners also volunteered to demolish their illegal structures, according to Fuentebella.
“Tumutulong naman ang may–ari e. Actually, lahat naman nagputol, nagdemolish ng kanilang part ng building na nadala sa right of way,” he added.
Fuentebella estimated that 95 percent of the total number of structures built within the 12-meter zone has already been demolished.
A total of 875 trucks carried and delivered the demolition’s debris to the staging area in Barangay Balabag.
The demolition is a prelude to a road widening project extending 5.26 kilometers from Barangay Manoc-manoc to Barangay Yapak, with an initial budget of P490 million.
The DPWH central office requested for an additional P600,000 budget for the project. It is still waiting to receive the fund to start the bidding.
The agency also said it targets to finish the road project within six months./PN
