No stopping of demolitions in Boracay

Piece by piece, the Boracay West Cove in Sitio Diniwid, Barangay Balabag, Boracay Island is being demolished for operating without business, occupancy and building permits, says the local government of Malay, Aklan. DENR / TWITTER

ILOILO City – Today’s start of Boracay’s shutdown would further bolster efforts to remove structures that encroach the island’s wetlands and forestlands.

“Tuloy-tuloy ‘yan kahit walang executive order (declaring a state of calamity),” said Nieven Maquirang, administrator of the jetty port in Caticlan, the jump-off point to Boracay.

To mark the start of the island’s six-month temporary closure for rehabilitation, a caravan would be held from the provincial capitol in Kalibo going to Boracay.

Maquirang said 17 Aklan municipal mayors are joining and backing efforts to clean-up the island.

“Anyway it’s only six month of closure,” he said.

After assessing the island, Environment secretary Roy Cimatu identified “forestlands and easement recovery and alienable and disposable lands management” as one of the key problem areas in Boracay.

His department has started preparing spatial data on Boracay and management of public lands, which would include sending of show-cause orders and notices to vacate forestlands.

Notices to demolish would also be issued and those in violation of the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines and Presidential Proclamation No. 1064 would be filed charges in court.

Presidential Proclamation No. 1064 issued in 2006 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo classifies Boracay into forestland (for protection purposes and agricultural land (alienable and disposable).

Last month, some Boracay stakeholders started a voluntary demolition of illegal structures.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, there are 11 wetland areas in Boracay.

Seven of these, however, have been reclaimed and structures were illegally built on them.

“Dapat wala sila doon sa wetlands. Hindi puwedeng palagyan ng buildings doon,” said Cimatu./PN

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