Boracay fire dancers ‘must use LED devices instead’

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) urged hundreds of fire dancers in this famed island resort to use LED (light-emitting diode) devices.

DENR undersecretary Benny Antiporda said the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force will prohibit fire dancing in the island starting Oct. 26.

This is aimed at protecting the Boracay beaches, where kerosene used in fire dancing is spilled.

“Fire dancers can use technologies such as LED lights instead. The task force would definitely prohibit fire dancing,” said Antiporda.

He added: “The national government can support the displaced fire dancers in Boracay if needed.”

Boracay was ordered shut beginning April 26 for a half-year rehabilitation after President Rodrigo Duterte called it a “cesspool.”

The Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force was then formed to “reverse” the island’s poor environmental condition. It is led by the DENR, the Department of Tourism and the Department of Interior and Local Government.

On Oct. 15, the holiday island was opened to local tourists for an 11-day dry run of its tourism operations.

When it officially reopens on Oct. 26, Boracay will greet local and foreign tourists with fresh guidelines like the ban on wild beach parties and a daily tourist cap.

DENR to deploy 35 env’t enforcers in Boracay

Some 35 environmental enforcers will be mobilized here next week – days before the scheduled island reopening on Oct. 26.

Environment secretary Roy Cimatu said the environmental enforcers – most of them Boracay residents – are tasked to ensure island’s environmental sustainability.

“Part of their duty is to conduct inspection of the sewage treatment plants (STPs) of the 21 hotels initially accredited by the inter-agency task force,” Cimatu said.

The inspection will be done every three days “so that we could determine if their STPs are effective or not,” the DENR chief added.

The deployment of the environmental enforcers is part of the 11-day dry run for Boracay’s reopening beginning Oct. 15.

Tourists from Aklan will be allowed entry in Boracay on Oct. 15 while those from other neighboring provinces, on Oct. 16.

Foreign tourists and those from other parts of the country will be allowed to enter Boracay on Oct. 26.

Should the deployment of environmental enforcers in Boracay prove itself effective, the same measure will be observed in other tourist destinations in the country, according to the DENR.

EVWealth eyes fleet management program for Boracay

EVWealth Inc. is eyeing to establish a fleet-management program of Electronic Tricycles (e-trikes) in this resort island.

Hernando Esquivel, EVWealth general manager, said they are partnering with the Department of Energy in this endeavor. The DOE is reportedly eyeing to give 200 units of e-trikes to Boracay under a conditional donation scheme.

Esquivel presented the program during the regular weekly council session of the Sanguniang Bayan of Malay on Tuesday.

“Under the scheme, each driver should pay P649 a day for three years to be under the fleet-management program. The fee includes provision of spare parts, passenger-hailing program and installation of battery charges in their residences, among others,” he said.

“E-trikes could boost the drivers’ income in Boracay, since it is cheaper to use compared to traditional tricycles using gasoline. Based on our computation, drivers would only spend P30 pesos worth of fuel compared to the P70 per liter of gasoline,” he said.