Boracay Island labeled as "Cesspool"

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Boracay is a tropical island know for its stunning white sand beaches, clear blue waters, and resorts. Boracay Island received different awards from numerous publications and travel. In the year 2012, it was awarded as the Best Island in the World by Travel + Leisure, an international travel magazine. And in the year 2014, it was at the top of the Best Island in the World published by Condé Nast Traveler, an international magazine. No doubt that many tourists are coming from different places just to witness this sumptuous island. According to Malay Municipal records, there were more than 2 million tourists visited the island in the year 2017 and brings in more than US$1.12 billion in revenue every year.

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But recently, President Rodrigo Duterte branded Boracay as a 'cesspool' that he would not hesitate to close the island down. Also, the Department of the Interior Local Government (DILG) has proposed to place the island under a state of calamity for 6 months and two-month business shut down to hasten rehabilitation of the island.

The Problem

A boom in algae growth points to the water pollution in Boracay

The Boracay Island has been experiencing increased population of coliform bacteria since 1990s due to poor solid waste disposal system,poor sewage treatment facility and some have illegally tapped their sewage line into the water line. This environmental concern persisted because some of the business establishments around the island doesn't have a permit to operate a business. Some have a business permit but doesn't have an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and ECC (Environmental Compliance Certificate).

Summary Flow Chart of the EIA Process

In case you didn't know, an EIA is a "process that involves predicting and evaluating the likely impacts of a project as well as ensuring the preventive, mitigating and enhancement measures in order to protect the environment and community's welfare" while an ECC is an outline of a proponent of which are necessary to for the project to comply with existing environmental regulations or to operate within best environmental practice that is not covered by the existing law.

Obviously, some of the buildings and establishments violated the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 ( R.A.9275) and regulations on land use. Buildings and establishments around the island cannot discharge their wastewater effluent into a body of water without passing the general effluent standard set by DENR.

The Government's Solution

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According to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Boracay Island shall be declared under the state of calamity for 6 months and the temporary closure of business operations on the island to hasten it environmental rehabilitation.

What does state of calamity mean?
According to R.A.10121, its effect on Boracay are the following: