DENR clarifies Boracay sewage policy
Published Sep 20, 2018 03:52 pm
By Tara Yap
Iloilo City—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) released a new memorandum clarifying the guideline for treatment of sewage water at world-famous Boracay Island in Malay town, Aklan province.
MB FILE -- A big water pipe is seen along the famous white beach of Boracay Island. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) wants hotels and other businesses to install sewage treatment plants to address water pollution. (Tara Yap / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu signed a September 18 memorandum, which changes provisions stipulated in a June 2018 memorandum that requires Boracay hotels and resorts to construct sewage treatment plants (STPs).
“At least, DENR fixed it. This is more acceptable now,” said Jonathan Cabrera, a former Malay town councilor.
Cabrera, who authored the Boracay Island Comprehensive Wastewater Management Ordinance 2012-307, is one of Boracay’s stakeholders who previously aired concerns of DENR’s initial STP guideline.
Business group Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) also decried DENR’s June guideline as an added financial burden to business that suffered losses since Boracay’s closure last April 26.
They also considered DENR’s June guideline as defeating the purpose of compelling hotels and resorts to connect to Boracay Tubi Systems Inc. (BTSI) and the Boracay Island Water Company (BIWC). Now, DENR backtracked. The new guideline stipulates that BTSI and BIWC “shall collect and treat the wastewater” of respective clients.
DENR also initially required hotels and resorts along the beachfront with 50 rooms and more to construct individual STPs while hotels and resorts with less than 50 rooms must have clustered STPs.
Now, DENR lowered the threshold with only 40 rooms and above that are required to have STPs while those with 39 rooms and less have the option on whether or not to have clustered STPs.
These hotels will be issued with provisionary Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) when Boracay reopens to tourists next month.
MB FILE -- A big water pipe is seen along the famous white beach of Boracay Island. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) wants hotels and other businesses to install sewage treatment plants to address water pollution. (Tara Yap / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu signed a September 18 memorandum, which changes provisions stipulated in a June 2018 memorandum that requires Boracay hotels and resorts to construct sewage treatment plants (STPs).
“At least, DENR fixed it. This is more acceptable now,” said Jonathan Cabrera, a former Malay town councilor.
Cabrera, who authored the Boracay Island Comprehensive Wastewater Management Ordinance 2012-307, is one of Boracay’s stakeholders who previously aired concerns of DENR’s initial STP guideline.
Business group Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) also decried DENR’s June guideline as an added financial burden to business that suffered losses since Boracay’s closure last April 26.
They also considered DENR’s June guideline as defeating the purpose of compelling hotels and resorts to connect to Boracay Tubi Systems Inc. (BTSI) and the Boracay Island Water Company (BIWC). Now, DENR backtracked. The new guideline stipulates that BTSI and BIWC “shall collect and treat the wastewater” of respective clients.
DENR also initially required hotels and resorts along the beachfront with 50 rooms and more to construct individual STPs while hotels and resorts with less than 50 rooms must have clustered STPs.
Now, DENR lowered the threshold with only 40 rooms and above that are required to have STPs while those with 39 rooms and less have the option on whether or not to have clustered STPs.
These hotels will be issued with provisionary Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) when Boracay reopens to tourists next month.