By CHITO A. CHAVEZ
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to investigate the P1 billion environmental fees collected by the local government from the tourists visiting Boracay in the last 10 years.
DILG Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing said that each of the two million tourists visiting the island needs to pay P75 as environmental fee to be able to visit the world famous island.
With the two million tourists, Densing estimated that around P150 million environmental fees are collected by the local government each year.
Densing said the DILG wants to know how the funds were utilized, saying that local officials may be criminally liable if the investigation affirms any wrongdoings in managing the collected fees.
Densing emphasized the environmental fees should be used for the clean-up of the shoreline of BoracayIsland.
President Duterte earlier slammed the country’s number one tourist destination due to improper waste disposal.
Immediately after the President threatened to shut down Boracay, various government agencies have worked together to improve the waste disposal and other possible environment-related violations.
One of them is the possible demolition of structures near the beach and other establishments with no proper waste disposal.
Malacañang ALSO called on local chief executives of island destinations to abide by environmental laws as President Duterte’s warning to Boracay is equally applicable to all tourist spots.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after Duterte announced that he will place Boracay under a state of calamity in order the clean up the popular beach island which the President said has turned into a cesspool.
“So iyong order po niya na kinakailangan panagutin ang mga local government units dahil hindi nila napangalagaan ang kalikasan is equally applicable to all other island destination,” he said Wednesday.
Roque urged LGUs to implement the law and dismantle stalls or structures that violates the law immediately or they will face consequences.