DENR moves to protect bats, other critical natural resources in Boracay

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is working for the conservation of the remaining critically endangered habitat in this resort-island especially the flying foxes (bats).

Ivene Reyes, head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Aklan, said they will initiate the conservation efforts by entering into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) together with the stakeholders here.

"Some of the critical habitat of Boracay is under the jurisdiction of private investors such as the resorts. So we are planning for a MOA to ensure that the natural habitat is being properly taken care of," Reyes said.

The PENRO-Aklan currently is conducting an environmental audit of the remaining critical habitat of Boracay.

For several years, the environment of Boracay suffered from degradation due to either natural phenomenon or man-made causes.

The DENR report said there are only around 740 flying foxes in Boracay compared to the 15,000 in 1998.

The flying foxes not only help in plant seed dispersal, they also eat thousands of mosquitoes each day which is necessary to keep the resort-island free from dengue and other related diseases.