‘Forest classification on Boracay to affect RP tourist spots’

The government proclamation classifying the island resort of Boracay into a public agricultural land will also affect the status of other tourist spots in the Philippines, a resort owner said yesterday.

According to Orlando Sacay, chairman of the Boracay Foundation Inc., the issuance of Proclamation 1064 which reclassified more than half of the world famous island resort in Aklan province into agricultural land would set a precedent.

Sacay led other resort owners and businessmen in seeking the recall of PP 1064 on fears that they will be ejected out of the island and lose their land holdings.

Sacay noted any ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) on their petition would be crucial since it will set on all other similarly situated land disputes.

"This issue not just affects Boracay but other tourist spots as well which have no titles," he said.

He said any similar move by the government to take over the lands developed by resort owners would scare away potential investors.

Sacay cited the case of investors who wanted to put up a business in Coron island in Palawan.

"The group (of investors) is holding in abeyance its full development until this issue is settled," he said.

Sacay’s counsel, Quirino Marquinez, also cited the case of Alfonso Nuguid, a Los Angeles-based Filipino who owns several condominiums in the US.

Marquinez said Nuguid decided to "hold off" the P40-million investment for a hotel in a 2,000-square meter lot in Boracay.

"I’m in a quandary what will I do with the investment," he quoted Nuguid as saying.

Marquinez, a former poll official, said he advised Nuguid to wait for the SC ruling on the issue.

Another case, he said, is the $75-million Shangri-La Hotel that sits on a 12-hectare property.

The leading hotel group in the Asia-Pacific region plans to put up a 170-room facility and 50 deluxe villas in Boracay.

But because of the proclamation, the investors wanted to clear up the issue before pushing through with plans, Sacay added.

Malacañang, however, is standing pat on PP 1064 which reclassifies 628 hectares, or 60.94 percent of the 1,032-hectare island of Boracay, as "alienable and disposable."

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said PP 1064 would put things in order and even work to the advantage of residents and resort owners in Boracay.

Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor, a former environment secretary, said the residents and resort owners should urge Congress to come up with a law that would allow them to acquire land without a public bidding.

Defensor stressed the government was in a bind as far as the demands of the Boracay residents and resort owners were concerned.

He pointed out the absence of a law which would allow the residents and resort owners to acquire more than 1,000 square meters of land in Boracay without public auction.