Boracay hilly portion identified as high fire risk

Boracay Island – A hilly portion of world-renowned Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan is prone to fire.

Senior Fire Officer Patricio Collado, acting provincial fire marshal of Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP-Aklan), said this as Fire Prevention Month starts this March.

“Several hilly portions such as the Talipapa area are considered high risk to fire.  Aside from being highly elevated, structures including hotels and boarding houses are too close to each other and it is difficult to immediately stop fire incidents when these are triggered,” said Senior Fire Officer Patricio Collado, acting Provincial Fire Marshall of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Aklan province (BFP-Aklan).

Speaking with local media at the start of Fire Prevention Month, which starts March 1, today, Collado recalled the fire which engulfed four hectares of a hilly portion on the island in June, 2015.  A fire also hit Boracay a day prior to Christmas day last year. These fires on the island have resulted to millions of pesos in property damage.

This March, BFP-Aklan is set to conduct a month-long study and mapping of fire hazard areas.

This is part of the agency’s initiative for a massive fire prevention campaign that aims to lower the number of fire incidents breaking out in the country’s premier tourist destination.

“We really need the cooperation of stakeholders and the local government of Malay,” appealed Collado.

Vice gov says Aklan should focus on commercial agriculture

Outgoing Vice Governor Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo urged those that will take over the next Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to focus in prioritizing commercial agriculture.

Quimpo said that for several years, the Aklan provincial government, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, has been encouraging farmers to focus on backyard farming.

“We need more farm inputs not only for our food security but also to feed our increasing number of tourists coming to Boracay,” said Quimpo.

Both the Qantas Airways and the Conde Nast Travel have listed Boracay Island as one of the best beaches in the world.

For several years, Aklan could not adequately supply the demand for food in Boracay and has, instead, sourced vegetable, fruits, livestocks and eggs from Davao, Iloilo, Baguio and the Mindoro provinces, among others.

“The Aklan province needs more commercial agricultural investors to ensure food supply. Currently, there are only two investors on commercial agriculture as still this is not enough,” she said.

Aklan can’t produce food for Boracay?

On its own, Aklan could not keep up with the demand for food in Boracay Island, according to Vice Gov. Gabrielle Calizo–Quimpo.
Vegetable, fruits, and livestock and poultry products, among others, in the island resort are imported from Davao, Iloilo, Baguio, and Mindoro.
The vice governor believes the next batch of Sangguniang Panlalawigan members should focus on the promotion of commercial agriculture.
For several years, Quimpo said, the provincial government and the Department of Agriculture have been encouraging farmers to engage in backyard farming.
“We need more farm inputs not only for our food security but also to feed [the] increasing number of tourists [in] Boracay,” she stressed.
However, various information about Aklan counter claims regarding its inability to produce food for one of the best tourism islands in the world.
Aside from its vibrant tourism industry, the province boasts of its farming and fishing industries. “Aklan depends greatly on agriculture,” read part of a post on the provincial government’s website describing the local economy.
“The massive and sustained education and research in agriculture production, the implementation of national program in agriculture, well-established marketing strategies, as well as the support of the agribusiness industry and other private and nongovernment sectors, result to better production and higher income of the farmers,” said the post.
Citing rice and coconut as Aklan’s major crops, the post stated that the province is developing “high-value crops with export potential, such as banana (lakatan), mango, rambutan, and lanzones, and fiber crops.”
The province also takes pride in its fishponds and offshore fishing, which “provide huge employment for Aklanons.”
“Aquaculture constitutes a significant component in the province’s fishery industry,” read the Aklan.gov.ph post. “The province has a total fishpond area of 7,807.14 hectares.” It also claimed Aklan is “sufficient in meat and other livestock and poultry products.”
Agriculture, fishery and forestry are dominant economic activities in Aklan, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).
“A total of 85,437.92 hectares are devoted to agriculture … planted mostly to root crops, rice and coconuts,” the NSCB said on its website. “[Aklan] has a growing livestock population. Bred commercially are poultry and swine.”
Aklan is also a “rich fishing area” because of the neighboring Sibuyan Sea, said the NSCB.
“Annual harvest is estimated at 13,814 metric tons. The province has 11 coastal municipalities where different species of fish and other marine resources like seaweed and oysters are abundant. The culture of prawns, crabs and milkfish (bangus) is a major activity. Prawns and crabs are the major exports of Aklan.”
But, if Quimpo were to be believed, these are not enough.
“Aklan province needs more commercial agricultural investors to ensure food supply,” she said. “Currently, there are only two investors in commercial agriculture. This is not enough.”

‘Boracay coral reefs may be rehabbed’

 Not all hope is lost for the declining coral reef cover in this island resort.
Damaged coral reefs here may still be rehabilitated, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 6.
Coral bleaching, along with pollution and unregulated diving activities, contributes to coral reef decline here, the agency disclosed in its “Boracay Coral Reef Cover Assessment” report.
DENR conducted underwater assessment in seven popular diving sites here: Coral Garden, Angol Point, Friday’s Rock, Laurel Island, Channel Drift, Bulabog Reef (Laguna de Boracay), and Yapak.
“The mean percent cover of live hard corals is 30 percent and soft corals, 11.5 percent, which is considered fair,” the DENR report stated.
Several steps may be followed to restore the health of coral reefs here, but a united action among stakeholders is necessary, DENR said.
“What Boracay needs to sustain a healthy coastal marine resource is a change in policy directions to manage the island’s fragile ecosystem,” said Regional Director Jim Sampulna. “We cannot simply say [it is] ‘business as usual,’ for that would ruin the remaining critical marine habitat in the island.”
CORAL BLEACHING
Coral bleaching, according to DENR, happens when corals lose their life partners zooxanthellae, which are microscopic and photosynthetic algae.
Zooxanthellae live inside coral tissues, giving corals food and color. Corals protect zooxanthellae and give them compounds needed for photosynthesis. In turn, zooxanthellae use carbon dioxide and water corals produce for photosynthesis, which helps corals grow.
When corals get stressed by changes in conditions, such as warmer temperature due to El Niño, they spew out zooxanthellae, causing them to turn white (bleaching).
Researchers found out that corals can survive bleaching but are under more stress and susceptible to mortality. Other stressors of corals are pollution and unregulated diving activities, DENR said.
SOLUTIONS
The team that conducted the assessment recommended various strategies to address the problem, one of which is the formulation of an Integrated Coastal Management Plan, which include zoning and coral rehabilitation.
Zoning will help guide the local government and businesses engaged in diving to identify diving and non-diving sites. Some marine areas must be left undisturbed since corals, especially hard corals, take years to grow, DENR said.
Businesses may also employ the concept of rehabilitation, like “adopt a coral” or “plant a coral,” in diving activities.
DENR Region 6 and 1st Boracay Master Divers Association, Inc. plans to train divers here on how to replant corals using broken ones. A specific diving site will be identified for this.
The agency also recommended the strict monitoring and prohibition of disposing of waste and wastewater into the sea here, especially among businesses.

DENR study confirms Boracay coral reefs declining

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) expressed concern that corals in this resort island are declining based on their study conducted recently.

In an interview, Dennis Pinosa of the DENR Regional Office based in Iloilo City said that he served as a team leader of the study dubbed as "Boracay Boracay Cover Reef Assessment."

"The assessment was conducted on September 28, 2015 to December 9, 2015 and January 16-17, 2016. It was supported by the local government of Malay and the 1st Boracay Master Divers Association Incorporated," Pinosa said.

The DENR team conducted assessment in seven out of 25 diving sites in Boracay. The seven diving sites visited were the Coral Garden, Angol Point, Bulabog Reef, Yapak Beach, Friday Rock, Crystal Cove and Magic Island and the Channel Rift.

"The DENR lacks personnel and funding to conduct assessment to 25 diving sites in this resort island, the reason why we can only cover seven diving sites," he said.

The DENR study mentioned that among the reasons of the degrading coral reefs in this resort island were the coral bleaching, the proliferation of the crown of thorns and the unregulated diving activities.

"We had observed that hundredths of divers apparently in a daily basis visit some of the diving sites in Boracay. The unregulated diving activities hamper the natural growth of the corals," Pinosa added.

In conclusion, the DENR study urges for the formulation of the Integrated Coastal Management Plan of Boracay; formulation of the management plans for the existing Marine Protected Area; Expansion of Marine Protected Areas; Regulation of diving activities; close monitoring and stricter implementation regarding the waste and waste water discharges in bodies of water and the conduct of carrying capacity study.

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Boracay coral reef pollution alarms environmental group

The unabated pollution adversely affecting coral reefs and coral buds in the waters off world renowned Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan has alarmed a pro-environment group.

Jose Rodriguez of Sangkalikasan Producers Cooperative (SPC) said the alarming situation was uncovered following an underwater survey conducted by marine biologists Sim Ajeno, Joseph Busano, Ernesto Fiedra, and Elpidio Olaer III last December, 2015.

The SPC underwater survey of coral juveniles along Boracay’s Friday Reef found that the Nutrient Indicator Algae remains at very high levels.

“This means that there is still high sewage pollution in the coral reef area with the presence of trash and crown thorns,” explained Rodriguez.

“Waste management control must be given high priority. Too much development without considering the health of the sea will end up losing the treasure in the island of Boracay,” Rodriguez appealed.

The SPC data is the latest in the recurring environmental problems faced by the popular island resort.

Last year, there was a uproar over the presence of green algae along the famous white sand beach.

There was also a report that sewage waste has contaminated Bulabog Beach, on the other side of Boracay Island.

While there was high level of pollution, SPC also noted that portion of Boracay’s coral reef buds are slowly recovering from the high-mortality rate recorded last year.

“We see new recruits and old coral recruits growing in size and volume,” Rodriguez added.