Top officials of the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) convened once again in efforts to rehabilitate Boracay Island.
“We are here to save Boracay, to restore Boracay to its original form, which used to be a paradise before,” DOT chief Wanda Tulfo-Teo declared after a closed-door meeting with DENR and DILG officers.
The DOT Regional Office for Western Visayas gave updates following the activities undertaken by the DOT VI Boracay Compliance Monitoring Office, DOT VI Boracay Field Office, and the Malay Municipal Tourism Office.
Regional Director Atty. Helen Catalbas shared, “It is business as usual in Boracay Island as tourist traffic remains relatively similar or heavier as compared to the past days and weeks.”
Catalbas added that booking cancellations are insignificant and only twelve accommodation establishments with only 64 rooms and 192 visitors have reported cancellations.
DENR on its part embarked on the Operation Plan: Regain Paradise with the mission to rehabilitate the damaged ecosystems of Boracay Island and conserve its natural and tourism values for future generations.
“I’m going to Boracay tomorrow to bring my personnel to augment the operations or performance of clearing the drainage system of Boracay which is really first phase of our operations in DENR,” Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said.
“We will make sure that those who are responsible or accountable to what happened to Boracay will be meted out with appropriate sanctions so there will no repeat of whatever happened in Boracay,” DILG Officer-in-charge Eduardo Año added.
DOT Secretary Teo supports the actions that would hasten the immediate rehabilitation of the island.
Tourism Undersecretary Katherine De Castro revealed that the Department is crafting a communications plan about the developments in Boracay both for the local and international community.
An ocular of the island has been scheduled on March 2 to involve some senators and the participation of the Department of Justice and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
