The government has allocated R150 million to sustain the rehabilitation works in Boracay Island and prevent its further environmental decay next year.
The budget allocation for Boracay is included in the R25.1-billion budget allocated for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) next year.
“Some R150 million will be used to rehabilitate Boracay Island, to cover the requirements for various activities such as the continuing research and monitoring of air and water quality in the said area to prevent further degradation of the ecosystem as well as for solid waste management,” President Duterte said in a budget message to Congress.
In setting the budget for the DENR, the President acknowledged that a healthy environment was crucial to the improvement and upgrading of living conditions.
He also said the government must ensure the poor are protected from pollution and risks as a result of environmental degradation. He noted that rich people were better able to avoid the costs of environmental harm “because they have the money or wealthy to pay for these.”
The President earlier authorized the six-month shutdown of Boracay to tourists to address sewage problems and other pollution woes. (Genalyn Kabiling)
