CEBU, Philippines — After launching a resort-to-resort inspection in Boracay Island in Malay town, Aklan, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources also plans to visit other prominent islands like Bantayan in Cebu and Panglao in Bohol to see the state of the environment there.
DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said during an event in Cebu City on Tuesday that he was invited to check these two islands in Central Visayas to examine whether environmental policies are being violated.
In a press conference, he said DENR also intends to travel to El Nido in Palawan. Panglao in Bohol may also be inspected simultaneously with Boracay Island.
Cimatu directed 12 teams composed of about 100 personnel from different DENR regional offices to inspect the sewer facilities of all business establishments in Boracay following reports that many are discharging untreated wastewater directly into the sea.
Aside from Bohol, two other islands in Cebu Province, Mactan and Bantayan, were also added in the inspection list of DENR. These two islands, which are separate from mainland Cebu, have resorts and beaches that attract local and foreign tourists.
Cimatu said personnel from the DENR regional office in Central Visayas can handle their own planned visits to these islands and can also be augmented by other neighboring offices if the need arises.
In an interview with reporters on the sidelines, Cimatu further explained that there was no specific report of violation in the islands in Central Visayas but a visit will not hurt to check the place and address environmental problems if any are found.
He said although there is no schedule yet for the visit to the islands here, the resort-to-resort inspection in Boracay should serve as wakeup call to local government units to act on existing problems in their respective jurisdictions.
“On their own, they (local officials) will also be doing their job properly because I understand the Secretary of DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) is really contemplating on filing necessary charges on (inept) LGUs,” he said.
He said he will leave it to DILG to discipline local officials who fail to take the necessary actions against resort and beach owners who violate environmental policies.
After tourist sites, DENR may also inspect establishments in urban areas like Metro Cebu where several business establishments drain their wastewater directly into the sea or river.
“Cebu is a big destination of tourism so therefore we have to clean our environment,” said Cimatu. (FREEMAN)