10 persons charged for violating environmental laws in Boracay

 TEN persons were charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for violating at least three environmental laws in Boracay Island, an official said Wednesday, November 25, 2020.

Rizaldy Rivera, team leader of the NBI Central Office of Environmental Crime Division, said nabbed through warrantless arrests were six Filipinos, two British nationals, a Belgian national and an Australian-Filipino citizen.

Eight of the suspects were arrested at Mt. Luho in Boracay while two in Diniwid.

"The national government, through the Boracay Inter-Agency Rehabilitation Management Group (BIARMG), has been sending notices to these suspects to vacate their area and self-demolish, but they are not compliant. We had no choice but to arrest them and charge them at the Aklan Provincial Prosecutor's Office," Rivera said.

The NBI filed charges for alleged violations of the Forestry Code, Water Code and the 25+5 easement ordinance of the local government against the suspects.

Earlier in November, a resort owner who owned two resorts in Boracay was also arrested in a similar crackdown campaign to rehabilitate the island from further environmental degradation.

"There are other environmental violators in Boracay, especially on the front beach. We continuously appeal to them to heed the warning they received from the BIARMG. If they continuously refused to do so, they should expect that we will be coming to them anytime soon," Rivera said

Malay LGU proposed to IATF-EID to allow incoming visitors to enter without the (RT-PCR) Test

 

By Carla Suner

 The Local Government of Malay, barangay officials, and the stakeholders proposed to Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) have made a risky proposal to allow incoming visitors to enter Boracay ahead of their arrival without negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test through a consultation meeting inititated by the |Aklan Provincial Executive Governor Florencio Miraflores, and 2nd District Representative Teodorico Haresco Jr. on Saturday morning at Hennan Garden Resort in Boracay, Island. 

From October 1 to October 29, Boracay received only 2,337 tourists, way below the traditional figures yearly. Whereas, travelers need to present a negative test not earlier than 72 hours prior to arrival; however, visitors number went low, for the reason that the proposal was initiated.

A joint resolution will be forwarded to the governor's office wherein, the Barangay Captains of the 3 Barangays of Boracay, Barangay Captain of mainland of Caticlan, and stakestakeholders will appeal to the policy-making IATF-EID saying, "they are prepared for the revival Boracay’s Travel and Tourism, and eager do their part in controlling the Spread of COVID-19 in the Province".

Meanwhile, Malay Mayor FLoribar Bautista said, "We have to live with COVID. Let's just be brave. We will take the risk to open but with strict implementation of safety protocols. Pasensyahan nalang sa di susunod. May kinasuhan na tayo kung maalala nyo”, he stressed.

The tourism industry of Boracay, Island has been severely hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted to temporary and permanent closures of the resorts and establishments in the Island which has caused the number of employment to decline dramatically since mid-March 2020.