ILOILO CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Boracay Eminent Persons Groups have cracked down on violators of ordinances and laws on Boracay Island .

The Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR regional office last week issued notices of adverse findings against four projects on the island-resort after they were allegedly found to be violating environmental laws and policies.

In the notice issued by EMB regional director Bienvenido Lipayon, the DENR directed the Boracay Crown Regency Hotels and Convention Center, owned by J. King & Sons Co., Inc., to stop its development projects in Barangays Balabag and Manoc-Manoc for lacking an Environmental Compliance Certificate.

An ECC is required for projects perceived to have negative environmental impact. The granting of the certificates gives the go-signal for the projects.

Provincial Environment Officer Raul Lorilla, also said the agency directed the developer to stop filling up an area identified by a DENR inspection team as a wetland.

Deolito Alvarez, legal counsel of the hotel, denied that the company committed violations and said the property is not on a wetland.

Alvarez said the water in the area where the construction is ongoing comes from the natural wetland across the property and divided by the main road in Boracay. He said residents near the wetland diverted the water by placing a culvert that cuts across the road and illegally diverted the overflow from the wetland to the hotel property. He said they are contesting the Penro's finding and we have asked the DENR regional office to conduct another inspection.

He also said they filed an application for an ECC in September last year but their application was returned by the DENR because of the announcement of DENR Secretary Lito Atienza that a moratorium on the issuance of building permits will be implemented.

But Alvarez said the DENR-EMB also ordered Gorgeous Holdings Inc., developer of property in Sitio Cagban in Barangay Manoc-Manoc, at the southern end of the island to explain alleged violations in their ECC and Presidential Decree 1586 (Philippine Environmental Impact System and its Implementing Rules and Regulations).

The DENR-EMB said in its notice that the developers violated a provision in their ECC that it limits land clearing and avoid long exposure of cuts and excavations and undertake only minimal land grading activities to retain the natural contour of the area.

It also allegedly violated another ECC provision prohibiting the cutting of mature trees without clearance from the DENR.

An aerial photo shows a deep excavation and widespread clearing of trees in the area being developed near the Cagban port.

In a statement, Gorgeous Holdings Inc. said their company has complied rules, policies and permits issued by DENR and other agencies.

Atienza on Friday directed the DENR regional office to cause the cancellation of the tax declarations issued to two claimants to wetland areas.

He did not identify the affected claimants but it is the local government unit that issues and cancels tax declarations.

Land ownership on the island is technically prohibited under Presidential Proclamation 1801 issued by the late President Ferdinand Marcos classifying Boracay and other islands and covers as a tourist and marine zone.

Land claimants on the island pay tax declarations, many for nearly 30 years, as proof of ownership or rights over properties.*NPB

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