DENR recommendation on Boracay may not take six months: official

March 7, 2018

The Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) could recommend whether to close the world-famous island resort of Boracay within a six-month deadline of President Rodrigo Duterte, an official said Wednesday.

Environment Undersecretary for Policy Planning and Internal Affairs Jonas Leones said the recommendation "may not reach six months. " "It will depend on (DENR) Secretary (Roy) Cimatu's assessment," Leones told reporters in an ambush interview.

Duterte is eyeing declaring a state of calamity in Boracay if the country's top tourist destination is not cleaned up in six months.

Leones said Cimatu was ordered by Duterte to recommend measures to address the environmental concerns of Boracay which include imposing a closure.

On Duterte's plan to declare a state of calamity, Leones said it is a procedural move to speed up rehabilitation of Boracay by skipping some bureaucratic requirements

Leones said a total of 116 establishments in Boracay were given notices of violation for various environmental violations, which include dumping sewage into the sea. DMS