DOT leads unveiling of Bora development plan
ILOILO CITY—The Department of Tourism (DOT) yesterday unveiled the Boracay Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) that is aimed to regulate the development of island-resort and propel it as a "premier international tourist destination."
Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace Durano" formally turned over the CLUP to local government officials led by Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling at a ceremony attended by the island's stakeholders.
Durano said that with the completion of CLUP, development of the island would be regulated and save the island from further deterioration.
"The fundamental challenge in terms of putting order on the island was the absence of a single plan that everybody can follow. We have taken care of that and there is no more alibi from anyone that they do not know," Durano said in a telephone interview.
Durano said the local government officials led by Cawaling have committed to pass a a resolution that will implement that CLUP which will serve as the basis of ordinances governing development on the island.
He said the most important component of the plan is the identification and delineation of areas for residential, commercial and tourism use as well as no-build zones.
The 1,064-hectare island has been facing major environmental problems that are rooted to overdevelopment and lack of regulation in the construction of resorts and hotels.
The CLUP is a product of a workshops conducted early this year among stakeholders of the island.
The plan will serve as blueprint for development and management of Boracay in the next 15 years. It covers sectoral plans on human and social development, economic and tourism development, infrastructure and utilities development, environmental management, and institutional development.
The CLUP defines strategic and specific measures on population management, education, health, housing, social welfare, protection and sports and recreation.
These were identified as priority sectors with the projection that tourist arrivals will reach 2.7 million by 2018 and the island's population to reach 27,345 from the current 16,000.
Durano said their focus is the regulation of development of areas with no structures .
These areas have become increasingly endangered because of the increasing scarcity of land, according to the CLUP.
It noted that slopes are being cut in the more rugged terrains of the northern end of the island to accommodate the construction of hotels and residential units. Forested areas are also being encroached and wetlands being filled up.
Under the CLUP, the land use of the three villages of the island have been categorized.
Barangay Balabag where most of the beach area is located will be mainly for tourism and commercial use.
The plan identified Barangay Yapak at the northern end of the island for exclusive or high end tourism use while Barangay Manoc Manoc will serve as the major settlement and residential area.
Durano said they will continue to work with the local government unit until the CLUP becomes and ordinance. They will also ensure that the plan and the ordinance will be implemented.