Development projects in Boracay continue

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Development projects in Boracay continue, a month after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) called for a stop to construction on the island.

Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling said that they cannot stop receiving and the processing of applications for new businesses on the island until a municipal resolution is issued supporting the moratorium.

"Until the resolution is passed, it will go on," Cawaling said in an interview.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza last month called for a six-month moratorium on construction of new structures on the island-resort to stem the unregulated development projects on the island that have overstretch resources and available infrastructure and services.

Atienza who had that said construction of new buildings should be suspended until the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) comes up with a new development master plan for the island which would ensure the protection and sustainable utilization of its resources.

He said DENR will also come up with an environmental protection master plan for the island within the period.

The call was supported by resort owners on the island belonging to the Boracay Foundation Inc.
Cawaling said the municipal council has yet to issue a resolution suspending the acceptance and processing of business applications because the council is "still gathering information on the issue."

He said the council also needs to hold public consultations involving all stakeholders before a resolution or ordinance is passed.

"We support the call to regulate the projects but we are still waiting for the resolution to be issued," said Cawaling.

Various sectors have raised repeated alarms over the overdevelopment of the island as tourist arrivals continue to increase.

Tourist arrivals last year reached 554,181 which is 10. 96 percent higher than 499,457 arrivals recorded in 2005, according to data from the regional office of the Department of Tourism.

Tourists who visited the island from January to March this year reached 140,835 or 7.59 percent higher than the 130,897 tourist arrivals in the same period last year.

Boracay's income from tourism reached P10.18 billion last year or 24.44 percent higher than the P8.18 billion earnings in 2005.