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BY GLENDA TAYONA
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Saturday, March 17, 2018
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DOT: Compliant Boracay businesses may operate
ILOILO City – A wholescale closure of Boracay for the island’s rehabilitation may not be feasible, according to Director Helen Catalbas of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Western Visayas.
While DOT agreed with the Environment and Local Government departments for a one-year closure of Boracay, a total shutdown is not the intention of the Tourism department, she clarified yesterday.
Establishments complying with environmental laws may be allowed to operate, said Catalbas, but “violators, they will be closed. In the first place, they have no permits, so why are you there?”
President Rodrigo Duterte previously gave the Department of Environment and Natural Resources six months to clean Boracay up, and for the Department of the Interior and Local Government to investigate and file charges against officials of concerned government agencies and local government of Malay, Aklan accountable for neglecting Boracay’s environment.
“It is not totally closed to tourists. But we have to inform our tourist markets that they should not expect Boracay to be very orderly when they arrive (due to rehabilitation activities),” said Catalbas.
Last month, Environment secretary Roy Cimatu deployed a “mission team” to address the environmental woes in the world-famous island. The team was composed of 50 personnel from six DENR regional offices.
Boracay was divided into six areas. Each of the six DENR regional offices was assigned an area to work on.
On the part of DOT, said Catalbas, they would “soften lang ang marketing” of Boracay.
“Kay kon i-close mo sya as a whole or whole-scale closing, ti daw indi feasible and I think it is not the intention of the DOT,” she said.
‘TARGET ERRING BUSINESSES ONLY’
Senators are not in favor of a complete shutdown of Boracay.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the government should only padlock and file charges against establishments violating environmental laws.
He also said administrative charges must be file against negligent local government officials and personnel.
Giving Boracay establishments a grace period of say, 30 days, to comply with environmental laws is a good idea, too, said Gatchalian.
The government should also have a timetable to improve critical infrastructures in the island such as drainage systems and one for solid wastes, the senator added.
Meanwhile, Sen. Joel Villanueva said a Boracay shutdown should not be undertaken “without a clear, realistic and time-bound plan of action.”
A total closure could adversely affect the local tourism industry and lead to employment displacement, warned Villanueva.
“It could also have a devastating economic impact on businesses complying with environmental laws and workers who rely on the island for their livelihood,” he said.
Concerned government agencies could just enforce compliance to laws such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Solid Waste Management Act, he added.
For his part Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said he is open to closing Boracay for up to one year.
“That will be worth considering. Boracay has been abused and exploited through the years. It has to be allowed breathe, to recuperate,” Ejercito said.
BUSINESS AS USUAL BUT…
As of March 15, Catalbas said, it remained business as usual in Boracay. Tourist traffic fluctuations were insignificant, she sad.
Catalbas also played down booking cancellations in hotels and resorts. Between Feb. 2 to March 15, out of 234 accommodation establishments surveyed, only 16 hotels/resorts reported cancellations.
Catalbas said these cancellations may not even be related to the proposed closure of Boracay.
She also said there were no cancelled flights at the Kalibo and Caticlan airports, and no cancelled roll on, roll off ships bound for Boracay.
For 2018, Boracay is targeting 2,200,905 tourist arrivals./PN
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