By: Tara Yap
ILOILO CITY – An attached agency of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-6) sternly warned the local government of Malay town in Aklan province to haul accumulated trash at world-famous Boracay Island by July 17.
Ariel Gloria, regional director of DENR-6’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) said that an average of 20,000-30,000 kilos of trash remains in Boracay, which was visited by 1.72 million tourists last year.
Earlier this year, DENR-Aklan received a complaint of foul odor emanating from Boracay’s centralized trash facility.
This prompted DENR-Aklan Chief Ivene Reyes to issue an order for Mayor Ceciron Cawaling to immediately haul the trash to mainland Malay.
But Gloria said successive orders are not heeded. He noted that Malay local government keeps on giving lame excuses such as the hauling truck broke down or the barge cannot maneuver the waters due to low tide.
If Malay local government will not act, it will be charged for violating the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
No less than DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu vowed to go after Boracay environmental violators.
