EDITORIAL – Environmental concerns

Authorities are now finding measures that would see to it that resorts in Mactan comply with regulations to prevent the island from turning into another Boracay, which was closed by the government due to some environmental concerns.

Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino called for a meeting with owners of resorts on Mactan Island and other tourist destinations in Cebu to discuss issues on environmental compliance to prevent another Boracay situation.

Last week, the government shut down the world-famous Boracay on orders of President Rodrigo Duterte, who described the island as a "cesspool." He tasked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to clean up the island within six months.

What happened to Boracay should serve as a warning to owners of other tourist spots in the country that have been, for years, violating the law. That time will come that you will eventually get caught.

Concerned government agencies are also to blame for this serious problem since they have not been so religious in monitoring whether or not tourist destinations owners comply with environmental regulations.

Had the DENR and other agencies been so serious in their monitoring of resorts nationwide, there would have been no Boracay controversy exploding in ruinous proportions because those resort owners would have always complied with the law.

We do not like to conclude that all resorts on Mactan Island and across the province are complying with environmental regulations. To know the real situation, concerned government officials should go out and conduct thorough inspections.

Tourism is one of the most promising industries whose potentials are expected to greatly help fuel the country's economic machinery. Blatant disregard for environmental laws will surely have a disastrous effect because no visitor would want to swoop down on resorts that are not worthy to be called tourist destinations.