Administrative charges eyed vs 10 Aklan local execs

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to file administrative charges against at least 10 Aklan local officials in connection with the environmental degradation of Boracay Island.

DILG Assistant Secretary for plans and programs Epimaco Densing III said they expect to file the charges next month before the Office of the Ombudsman against the officials for grave neglect of duty.

Densing, in a brief phone interview, refused to name the officials as the cases have yet to be filed, but he said these could include barangay officials.

In a separate interview over ANC, Densing said the complaint sheet has already been drafted and they are in the process of authenticating evidence that will be used to bolster their case.

Densing said they requested the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct an audit of environmental fees collected from tourists after the DILG discovered discrepancies in the amount compared with the number of tourists who visited the island last year.

Citing records from the local government of Malay, Densing said that P150 million should have been collected from two million tourists who went to Boracay last year. Each tourist is required to pay an environmental fee of P75.

However, the local government said it only collected P91 million, said Densing.

“I would not pass judgment at this moment,” he said.

He said additional cases could be filed against incumbent and even former local government officials in Malay if the audit would show anomalies in the collection and usage of environmental fees.

Looking forward to the opening of the island in October, six months after its rehabilitation, tourism stakeholders said they have been receiving bookings from foreign tourists.

Jose Clemente III, president of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP), told The STAR there are around 600 to 700 foreigners who have stated their intention to visit the island, adding that around 100 Canadian, Chinese and Korean nationals have booked for December. 

Meanwhile, Clemente claimed they have provided financial assistance to some of those displaced by the closure as P100,000 has so far been raised through TCP’s #OneBoracay’s sale of merchandise, concert, among other efforts. TCP has also received pledges.

Resort owner Leonard Tirol of the Boracay Foundation confirmed Clemente’s announcement to The STAR as he expressed confidence that the opening of the island will come earlier than the scheduled six-month period.

With the island already closed, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) would now help in demolishing the structures that occupy the 12-meter road right of way and declog the drainage along its main road. 

In a statement, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar yesterday said these activities are in line with the building of wider and pedestrian-friendly roads as well as improving the drainage system in the island. 

Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) central commander Lt. Gen. Paul Atal said the situation in Boracay during its first day of closure was generally peaceful. 

As this developed, the Department of Budget and Management has released P448 million for the provision of financial assistance to workers affected by the closure of Boracay, the agency said yesterday.

The amount was released to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and will benefit the 17,735 registered formal sector workers in Malay, Aklan, the DBM said.

According to the budget department, the funds will be used for the emergency employment, livelihood and training programs of displaced workers during the six-month shutdown and rehabilitation of Boracay Island.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the funds were charged against the 2018 Contingent Fund in the national budget. – With Evelyn Macairan, Mary Grace Padin, Michael Punongbayan, Robertzon Ramirez, Paolo Romero, Marvin Sy