DENR exec scores lifting of Boracay moratorium
BORACAY ISLAND―The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday scored officials governing Boracay Island for lifting a moratorium on construction projects on the island-resort.
"This should not be. On the point of view of environment planning, we should have waited for the environmental master plan and comprehensive land use plan (to be implemented)," DENR Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi said in an interview.
Gerochi who spoke before the a media summit here said the moratorium should be remained in force until the CLUP drafted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the DENR's environmental master plan will take effect. These will serve as the bases for development projects and the issuance of business and building permits, according to Gerochi.
Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling has signed the resolution passed by the municipal council on October 6 that lifted the moratorium.
The moratorium, passed on October 24, 2007 and implemented starting January 2 this year, prohibited construction of new structures for commercial and residential use like hotels, resorts, malls and apartments. The ban also covers new boarding houses or renovation/expansion of existing ones.
It was also implemented to give time for the DOT and DENR to finish and implement the CLUP and environmental master plan.
DENR Secretary Jose "Lito" Atienza had called for the moratorium to put order in development projects on the island due to environmental and pollution risks caused by years of unhampered construction of resorts, hotels and structures.
The six-month moratorium was supposed to end on July 2 but was extended by three months.
The CLUP and environmental master plan have been finalized but have yet to be implemented.
The DENR had earlier sued Cawaling and a property developer of violating Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) R.A. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Government Officials and Employees) and Executive Order 92 (Administrative Code of 1987) for failing to immediately implement the moratorium.
Cawaling defended the lifting of the moratorium.
"The six-month period has already lapsed and we even extended it," Cawaling said in a telephone interview.
He said the environmental concerns are already being addressed and the issuance of building and business permits will be based on the CLUP and environmental master plan.
But two groups of resort and business owners, the Boracay Foundation Inc. and Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Boracay), said the moratorium should have not been lifted at this time.
Charlie Uy, BCCI president, said the moratorium should have been lifted after the local government has passed an ordinance implementing the CLUP.
Gerochi said that with the lifting of the moratorium, the DENR is obliged to process applications for environmental certificates of compliance for new construction projects.
He pointed out that the agency has to act on applications for an ECC within 120 days because otherwise the applications are deemed granted.