ILOILO CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has vowed to preserve one of the wetlands that underwent massive rehabilitation at world-famous Boracay Island in Malay town, Aklan province.
“This is one of the important wetland ecosystems in Boracay Island. With the new ecotourism attractions, this will serve as a learning laboratory – an arboretum for environmental enthusiasts and environmental practitioners,” said DENR-6 Regional Director Livino Duran.
Boracay Wetland No. 2 in Balabag village was rehabilitated via public-private partnership (PPP) by the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) through DENR’s Adopt-A-Wetland Program.
The wetland is now known as Boracay Wetland Conservation Park.
Restoration of the wetlands was one of the projects of the Duterte administration for Boracay’s long-term rehabilitation that started in 2018 with the then six-month tourism closure of the resort island.
To recall, many of Boracay’s wetlands were illegally reclaimed for the development of the country’s most famous beach destination. Some of the wetlands became resorts while others became residential areas.
Since 2018, DENR has also worked to recover nine out of the 12 original wetlands of Boracay. However, the three cannot be found.