Help manage Boracay wastes, fast-food restos urged

A municipal councilor in Malay, Aklan wanted fast-food restaurants to help manage wastes in the island resort.

Such establishments contribute huge volumes of garbage dumped at the materials recovery facility, according to Nette Graf, chairwoman of the Sangguniang Bayan committee on environment.

“Before they (fast-food restaurants) came to Boracay, we were already facing problems in waste management,” said Graf. “[Now] our problems continue to pile up.”

Fast-food restaurants in Boracay include Jollibee, McDonald’s, Chowking, Shakey’s, Yellow Cab, Andok’s, and Mang Inasal. KFC reportedly plans to put up a branch in the island.

Graf hopes these establishments would come up with their own sustainable waste management programs.

“As much as possible, we do not want more fast-food chains in Boracay,” she disclosed.

Foreign tourists do not really like them. “They prefer (local) cuisines,” said Graf. “Only local tourists wanted cheap food from fast-food chains.”

While fast-food chains are “somewhat also important,” they are “major contributors to our wastes,” the municipal councilor said./