Boracay's waste disposal fund hits snag
BORACAY Island -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) has yet to release some P9.2 million budget for the waste disposal program of the island after the municipal government of Malay and the provincial government of Aklan clashed in their ideas regarding waste disposal program.
Barangay Capt. Glen Sacapaño of Brgy. Balabag said the funds has yet to be released. Balabag is one of the barangays in this white-beach island which will benefit from the program. The memorandum of agreement among the provincial, municipal and barangay officials should have been signed the other day but was postponed due to a misunderstanding.
However, the barangay chieftain could not specifically say what are the specific plans of the provincial and municipal government that contributed to the delay in the release of funds.
Though the funds have yet to be released, Balabag has already its own material recovery facility (MRF) to address the garbage problem of the island.
The MRF in Balabag is situated in the lot with an area of 5,000 square meters situated in the back portion of the barangay. So far, only some 2,000 square meters have been utilized for the barangay's waste segregation program. Tons of garbage are already collected and brought to the site.
Sacapaño said the waste segragation facility plant was constructed with the help of the Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry Incorporated. They contributed P250,000 for the construction. For the meantime, it helps in the barangay's program dubbed as War against Waste (WOW).
He added that they encountered some problems after the owners of the lot leading to the site refused to allow the trucks to pass by their properties. The road was closed last March 17, 2006 and was only opened recently.
The barangay captain is hoping that the differences between the municipal and provincial government will be resolved soonest in order to solve the garbage disposal problem in the island.