Boracay’s 30-meter easement violators have until March 15 to comply

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

(Update) Local government secretary Mar Roxas and Tourism secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. wanted the stricter implementation of 30-meter easement shoreline rule to restore the beauty of Boracay Island.

In the latest inspection of Boracay Redevelopment Task Force, some Boracay establishments were found violating Presidential Proclamation 1064 signed in 2006, which prohibits construction of structures within 30 meters from the shoreline.

There were 150 establishments from Stations 1 to 3 identified as violators of the easement rule. These include sport establishments, houses or villas, bar and restaurants, resorts and government-owned buildings.

Last year, resort establishments voluntarily demolished the temporary structures to comply the easement regulations on Boracay Island.

Roxas ordered the remaining seven establishment owners to comply the easement rule until March 15 or face possible demolition.

“Importante ito dahil ang mga scientists mismo ang nagsasabi na kapag walang setback sa baybayin, eventually mauubos ang beach. Kailangan nabibigyan ng espasyo yung buhangin para makapag replenish din,” Roxas in media interviews.

During the inspection, Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores said, "makikita mo lumalawak na ang tingin dito sa baybayin ng Boracay.”

Meanwhile, Roxas, Jimenez and President  Benigno Aquino III's  sister Viel Aquino-Dee visited the Ati community in the resort island.

Aquino-Dee vows to protect the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) of the Ati village, which was awarded ownership of 2.1-hectare property in Boracay Island through the Indigenous People’s Rights Act.

Local government secretary Mar Roxas (2nd from left) joins Malay mayor
John Yap (extreme left) and Viel Aquino-Dee (right) in the Ati village

“It is a start but what is important ay mayroong na silang mga bahay at sariling tutuluyan,” Aquino-Dee said.

Roxas appealed to other private claimants to respect the CADT issued by National Commission on Indigenous People to benefit some 200 members of Ati community.

“Doon sa mga nagtatangka, sasalubungin nila ang determinasyon ng gobyerno na ipatupad ang batas,” he said.

The national government plans to build health center, school and security tourism office in the ancestral domain of the Ati village.

Roxas also supported the implementation of the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) to promote the sustainable development of the Ati community.