BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan (PNA) – Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu expressed a firm stance on the six-month closure of Boracay to tourists as recommended by the inter-agency group despite continued objections from local stakeholders.
Cimatu said the recommendation was already submitted to President Rodrigo R. Duterte and expected to be discussed during the April 5 Cabinet meeting.
On Monday, Cimatu met with officials of the Local Government Unit of Malay, Aklan Provincial Government, the two water utilities – Boracay Island Water Company (BIWC) and Boracay Tubi – and other agencies involved in the cleanup of Boracay.
The closure could be shortened, according to Cimatu, depending on the actions undertaken by Boracay stakeholders and other concerned agencies prior to the initially proposed closure date on April 26.
“We are one in saying that we will do our best to comply with the six months, or if we can make it earlier then much better,” Cimatu said.
The meeting was conducted to come up with an integrated plan for Boracay that will be completed by Tuesday, March 27.
Cimatu said the Department of Social Welfare and Development also joined Monday’s activity to look into the possibility of giving assistance to those who will be displaced, in case the closure pushes through.
Cimatu added that the final decision will still come from President Duterte.
Meantime, an association of tourism establishments in Coron denied that the hazardous level of coliform detected in their waters has streamed into much-loved island destinations in the whole bay.
Calamianes Association of Tourism Establishments, Inc. (CATE) President Francisco Fernandez Jr. said on the group’s official Facebook account on Monday that the coliform-infested area is confined to the coastline of Coron town and is far from where tourists go to enjoy the sand and sea.
He said Kayangan Lake, for instance, is 4.6 kilometers off Coron Bay, where the high content of coliform had been continuously detected since 2011.
The likes of Luluyuan or Barracuda Lake is 4.8 kilometers; Lusong Gunboat Wreck is 19.6 kilometers; Malcapuya Island area (includes Banana Island, Bulog Uno, Bulog Dos) is 26.6 kilometers, and Siete Pecados Marine Park is three kilometers from Coron town or 0.5 kilometers from Maquinit Hotsprings, are also far from the shoreline of the main town.
“In the past week, there have been several reports in the media about high levels of coliform in Coron Bay. This is correct, but please note that the coliform infested area is confined to the coastline of the town,” he said.
Fernandez, whose family operates the Darayonan Lodge & My Blue Backpack Tours in Coron, added that tourists who wish to go to their town should take note that the distances are point-to-point or in a straight line.
Although the issue made headlines more than a week ago, Fernandez said the town “in general is still enjoying robust tourist arrivals.”