Extend Boracay one-stop shop operations until September 30

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The business groups in Boracay Island want to extend the operations of one-stop shop to cater the requirements of establishments on existing environmental laws and regulations.

PHOTO DENR REGION 6

The Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force established the one-stop shop in Station 3 White Beach from July 24 to August 3. It was relocated in CityMall Boracay from August 6 to August 15.

The one-stop shop is manned by personnel of Department of Tourism (DoT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Maylynn Aguirre Graf, president of Boracay Foundation, Inc. (BFI), said the one-stop shop will stop its operations until August 15.

“The one-stop shop is beyond accessible because of the temporary road closure. Our people lacked assistance how to do or comply the requirements,” she added.

Establishments are required to seek clearance from DILG or local government of Malay for sanitation and business permits as well as from DENR for the environmental clearance certificate (ECC) or a certificate of non-coverage.

The one-stop shop targets to assist business owners to comply the necessary requirements to operate when Boracay Island re-opens on October 26.

According to Aguirre-Graf, the business groups – BFI and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Boracay agreed to appeal to Environment Secretary Cimatu to extend the one-stop shop operations until September 30.

The environment chief heads the task force tasked to carry out the clean-up and rehabilitation activities after President Rodrigo Duterte shutdown the island to tourists.

The Sangguniang Bayan members, for their part, approved a resolution on August 14 appealing for Cimatu for the extension of operations of one-stop shop.

Town councilor Dante Pagsuguiron said “if business owners failed to comply their requirements on August 15, they have to process their papers in the concerned offices of government agencies.”

“Mahihirapan ang ating mga business owners pag hindi na ma-extend ang processing ng requirements sa one-stop shop,” he added.

Only compliant business establishments in Boracay will be allowed to operate when it re-opens for tourism on October 26.