‘Boracay observes capacity limit amid sinkholes’

MANILA, Philippines — Rules on the carrying capacity and height limit of structures are being enforced in Boracay after more than 800 sinkholes were found on the resort island.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said it found 815 sinkholes during hazard mapping in the past two years.

Mayor Frolibar Bautista of Malay, Aklan said the average number of tourists to the island is still below the figure set by the government.

“Basta hindi bababa sa 4,000 a day… Ang capacity diyan sa 6,400 or 6,500 tourists a day,” he said in an interview over ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

Bautista said the island’s jetty port management keeps a list of visitors entering the island.

He said the rules on carrying capacity are observed ”because the island is just small and very critical.”

Bautista gave assurance that the local government also implements the maximum limit of up to six floors for structures on the island.

He said he would ask for a copy of maps from the MGB to help the local government locate the sinkholes that the agency found.