Another Boracay hotel shut down

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — Another hotel in Boracay Island was ordered closed last Monday by Mayor Ceciron Cawaling of Malay, Aklan for violations of sanitation ordinances.

Crowne Regency Prince Hotel – located at the main road of Station 1 in Barangay Balabag – had been found operating without a sanitary permit since 2016.

Authorities earlier started demolition of portions of West Cove Resort that had encroached on coral reefs.

In a report dated last March 20 by the Malaya Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit, the Crown Regency Prince Hotel was said to have been illegally discharging waste water.

“Several citation tickets were issued regarding your violations. Furthermore, we are temporarily closing your establishment in order for you to comply with local ordinance and the Sanitation Code of the Philippines,” the closure order stated.

Rowen Aguirre, municipal executive assistant for Boracay affairs, said only one room was occupied in the 36-room hotel when the closure order was enforced.

Since 2016, Aguirre said they had issued four citation tickets against the hotel.

In December of that year, he added that hotel management was informed of the violations.

“Our sanitary inspectors found out that they have been illegally discharging waste water to the drainage system,” Aguirre said.

Further, it was learned that the hotel’s sewerage treatment plant (STP) was non-functional.

“They were informed and they assured us that they would comply but it never happened,” Aguirre said.

Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts operates two other hotel in barangays Balabag and Manoc-Manoc in Boracay Island.

Meanwhile, since last year, Aguirre said they have demolished around 50 to 60 illegal structures on the island.

Aguirre said they also ordered the closure of several establishments due to various violations.

“And the crackdown will continue,” he added.

Earlier, an inter-agency task force recommended to President Duterte that Boracay Island be closed to tourists for a six-month period starting April 26.

“If it’s inevitable, we would go with the decision of the President,” Aguirre said, adding they would make use of the time to do the needed rehabilitation and fixing of the island.

“But we’re still hoping that it would be for a lesser period for the sake of the workers,” he added.

Boracay Development Authority

The inter-agency task force on the rehabilitation of Boracay Island has recommended to President Duterte the creation of a development authority to ensure that the improvements made would be sustained.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said there is a need to create the Boracay Development Authority (BDA) to oversee the continued rehabilitation of the island.

Boracay was ruined when the island was managed by local officials, said Teo, a member of the inter-agency task force on Boracay that is composed of the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Teo said the BDA will be composed of the national government, officials from the local government unit (LGU) in Aklan and tourism stakeholders. 

She said the function of the body, which would take over the management and protection of Boracay, is the same as what is spelled out in a bill being pushed by Sen. Franklin Drilon. 

She said the inter-agency’s recommendations were submitted to President Duterte, who will decide whether to close Boracay or not. 

“He (Duterte) said that he will support whatever the decision of the group,” she said.   

Asked why the inter-agency opted for the closure of the whole island instead of doing it by phase, Teo said the waters of Boracay are already contaminated and the garbage and sewage problems should be addressed immediately. 

Tourism stakeholders in Boracay recently asked for an audience with Duterte to submit their proposals and asked the task force to reconsider the plan to close the whole island. 

Should the government push through with the closure of the island, the stakeholders suggested it be done by phase to minimize disruption of the influx of tourists this summer. 

But the task force stood firm on the plan to close the entire island. 

“Right now it’s still with the President, pending announcement on when it will be closed. But the recommendation is April 26,” Teo said. –  Robertzon Ramirez, Catherine Talavera, Paolo Romero

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