DOT initiates comprehensive land use plan for Boracay
BORACAY ISLAND, AKLAN―Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano yesterday called on Boracay residents, resort owners and other stakeholders to learn from past mistakes in managing the island-resort in order to effectively resolve the pressing problems faced by the island.
"If everybody can comply with (rules and guidelines), there is no need for government to come here," said Durano in a speech during the day-long workshop on the Boracay Island Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).
Durano said addressing Boracay's long-running problems require unity among the stakeholders and a commitment to preserve the environment and resources.
"We must make sure that we won't do this (planning) again," said Durano.
The workshop, attended by around 150 representatives of government agencies, resort owners and community leaders, aims to come up with a CLUP that will serve as a basis for all development plans on the island.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has also drafted an environmental master plan amid continued concerns on the sustainability of the island's tourism industry due to years of unregulated development.
The CLUP will identify and designate areas by specific use on the 1,086-hectare island and identify infrastructure and capacity needed for particular areas, said Durano.
"This will be a foundation and basis for all other development plans," he said.
The CLUP will be initially presented by the end of April and a final output is expected to be presented to stakeholders by May. The project will cost around P 5 million.
Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores said the CLUP is much delayed.
"We should have done this (CLUP) this many, many years before. But let us not point fingers now," he said.
Noting that the problems have continued despite several attempts of stakeholders to draw up plans and recommendations in the past, Miraflores said the drafting of a CLUP is "the last chance that we have for preserving this island."
Durano said the CLUP will hopefully restore order on the island. He pointed out that only 30 percent of the island's area has been developed because structures are concentrated at the beach front and in Barangay Balabag, one of three villages of the island.
He also stressed the urgency of the CLUP because even as a moratorium on building construction has been imposed, around 1,800 hotel rooms are being constructed because these projects were approved before the moratorium was implemented in January this year.
"The first thing that we really need to do is to merge ideas for a unified, practical and sustainable vision for the island. Join us in this process with an open mind and, most importantly, with motivation for our common interest for a sustainable growth and development," said Durano.
Some resort owners while welcoming the drafting of a CLUP expressed concerns that the plans will not be implemented as in their past experience.
Durano said the success of the CLUP will depend on the response of institutions on the island.
"At the end of the day, what we (government agencies) can really provide are directions," he said, pointing that it it will be the stakeholders who will determine if the plans and solutions will be applied.