Business owners hail SC order on Boracay reclamation

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ILOILO CITY—A group of business owners on Boracay Island welcomed the Supreme Court order to indefinitely stop the controversial reclamation project at the jump-off point to the renowned island pending resolution of the case.

But  Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) said it would not oppose the project if it would be limited to 2.6 hectares in Barangay Caticlan and if a comprehensive study would be conducted to assess its environmental impact.

“It’s a significant victory and a big boost to our efforts in safeguarding our island’s already fragile ecosystem,” said Nenette Aguirre-Graf, BFI director.

Voting unanimously, the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered an indefinite suspension of the reclamation project in Caticlan due to the failure of the Aklan provincial government to conduct public consultation and a thorough study of the project’s effect on the environment.

The high court on June 7 last year issued a temporary environment protection order, which is similar to a temporary restraining order.

Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez said they had yet to receive a copy of the order although they knew about it through news reports.

“We will file a motion for reconsideration,” Marquez told the Inquirer in a telephone interview.

He said they would include in their appeal a resolution of the BFI board of directors stating no opposition to the first phase of the reclamation project covering 2.64 hectares in Barangay Caticlan in Malay town in Aklan.

BFI president Dionesio Salme clarified that they would oppose the reclamation projects beyond that area, especially those that cover Boracay Island because the resolution only covered 2.64 hectares.

Salme said the resolution also provides that comprehensive environmental studies on the impact of the project would be conducted.

The provincial government is pushing for the reclamation project which involves the expansion of the existing Caticlan jetty port facilities, reclamation of coastline areas and the building of commercial buildings to house offices, a health and wellness center and other businesses.

The first phase covering a 2.6-hectare area in Caticlan is being funded by a P260-million credit financing through bond flotation payable in 20 years.

It was designed to be part of a planned P1.3-billion project in a 40-ha reclamation area approved by the Philippine Reclamation Authority. This includes 36.82 ha in Caticlan and

3.18 ha in Boracay.

But BFI had filed a petition before the high court to stop the project on concerns that it will affect the already fragile environment of Boracay.

The Malay municipal council which had opposed the project earlier endorsed the project based on certain conditions.

These include an assurance from the provincial government that it would commission a comprehensive study on the project’s environmental impact and that it would implement possible mitigating measures.

The endorsement also required the provincial government to allocate office space for the municipal government within the building in the reclaimed area and to ensure that local transportation operators will not be displaced.