DENR partners with privates firms in adopt Boracay wetlands

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Two wetland areas critical in natural environment and ecosystem of Boracay Island will be revived by companies in the ongoing massive cleanup and rehabilitation efforts of the government. 

PHOTO AKLAN FORUM JOURNAL

The rehabilitation of Wetland No. 2 by Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and Wetland No. 4 by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (EGV) will be undertaken in phases beyond the October 26 re-opening.

Environment secretary Roy Cimatu took the initiatives to partner with private sector – at no cost to the government- to revive two of the nine wetlands into eco-tourism areas. 

DENR will clear the illegal structures, mostly two-storey boarding houses and the relocation of affected wetland settlers. The companies will prepare the eco-tourism design and construction of facilities and assist the agency in rehabilitation activities and re-vegetation of wetlands.

The agency’s collaboration to develop the 0.99-hectare Wetland No. 4 in main road  Balabag near D'Mall and the 7.78-hectare Wetland No. 2 in  Balabag is part of “adopt-a-wetland” program to save the wetlands from destructive development. 

Since April, DENR is stepping up efforts with the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force to recover wetlands in the island. Wetlands serve as groundwater recharge and flood control to local communities, but, in Boracay these wetlands are contributing to pollution of island’s beach waters and have been threats to health and safety of residents and tourists. 

On August 14, AEV chief operating officer Sabin Aboitiz, Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (AFI) head Maribeth Marasigan, EDC president and chief operating officer Ricardo Tantoco and EDC senior manager for Corporate Social Responsibility and Watershed Management Allan Barcena entered into partnership through a memorandum of agreement with environment chief Cimatu. 

Other similar partnerships are also underway for Gokongwei Group, Boracay Tubi (Lucio Tan Group) and San Miguel Corporation in adopting the remaining wetlands in Boracay Island.