By Tara Yap
ILOILO CITY — The local government of Malay town in Aklan province assured the Duterte administration it will cooperate in cleaning up world-famous Boracay Island, which is under its political jurisdiction.
“The municipal government offers its full cooperation in the rehabilitation of Boracay within six months,” it said in a February 19 statement.
In this photo dated January 9, 2018, tourists enjoy Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.
(Tara Yap / MANILA BULLETIN) This is the first time the Malay local government, headed by Mayor Ciceron Cawaling, spoke up after President Duterte warned of closing down the island he dubbed as “cesspool” if problems cannot be solved. In particular, the illegal dumping of untreated wastewater into the sea and improper trash management have hounded the three villages that comprise the 1,032-hectare island. Malay local government explained it has backed the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in addressing existing problems of Boracay. It recently inked an agreement with urban planner Felino Palafox Jr. to formulate and implement the Malay Master Plan for Tourism. This entails integration of development of mainland Malay, which will decongest Boracay. It also pursued prosecution of hotels, resorts or restaurants that encroached the 30-meter easement along the beachfront; hauled off 20,000-30,000 kilos of trash to the mainland; and pushed for the establishment of sewage treatment plants. Malay local government also tried to rehabilitate Bolabog Beach, which is in the eastern part of the island and which previously recorded high level of water pollution.
In this photo dated January 9, 2018, tourists enjoy Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.(Tara Yap / MANILA BULLETIN) This is the first time the Malay local government, headed by Mayor Ciceron Cawaling, spoke up after President Duterte warned of closing down the island he dubbed as “cesspool” if problems cannot be solved. In particular, the illegal dumping of untreated wastewater into the sea and improper trash management have hounded the three villages that comprise the 1,032-hectare island. Malay local government explained it has backed the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in addressing existing problems of Boracay. It recently inked an agreement with urban planner Felino Palafox Jr. to formulate and implement the Malay Master Plan for Tourism. This entails integration of development of mainland Malay, which will decongest Boracay. It also pursued prosecution of hotels, resorts or restaurants that encroached the 30-meter easement along the beachfront; hauled off 20,000-30,000 kilos of trash to the mainland; and pushed for the establishment of sewage treatment plants. Malay local government also tried to rehabilitate Bolabog Beach, which is in the eastern part of the island and which previously recorded high level of water pollution.