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By Miguel Antonio de Guzman, Researcher
BORACAY ISLAND: “The DOT is the biggest
stakeholder of the island,” noted Tourism Secretary Joseph
“Ace” Durano.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) turned over a
check for P1.85 million to the Boracay Chamber of Commerce Inc. over
the weekend to kickoff a residual waste management program in the
island resort, presently a top tourist destination.
As waste management has become a major concern
in the island, the tourism department, the BCCI and Malay Mayor
Ceciron Cawaling have initiated the program to ensure control over
solid waste being accumulated by the growing population in Boracay.
Malacańang earlier issued in January Executive
Order 706 mandating the Tourism Secretary to exercise administrative
control over Boracay Island through the Philippine Tourism
Authority.
Boracay accumulates more than 15 tons of solid
waste per day on peak season, 30 percent of which are recyclables,
and just a little less during the off-season. The 70 percent that
are not recyclable are shipped to a dump in the mainland of Aklan.
“With this residual waste management program
that we are launching, our goal is not to eliminate residual waste,
because that is impossible, but to lessen residual waste and the
shipping of it,” Durano explained.
Currently the central materials recovery
facility of Boracay is able to recycle Styrofoam into concrete
tiles.
“Recycling of Styrofoam is going on.
Biodegradable waste is turned into fertilizer. The last phase is
turning non-biodegradable waste into hollow blocks and concrete
tiles. And after we are done with that, only 20 percent of the
island’s residual waste, which is not recyclable will be left to
be shipped to the mainland,” Durano said.
Present during the launch is former DENR
Secretary Bebet Gozun, one of the consultants of the project. “All
of the recycled products have been tested and approved by the
Department of Science and Technology,” she said.
“The solution is simple, all residents and
tourists have to do is to segregate their waste for purposes of
recycling,” Gozun added.
“The guarantee for this program also lies with
the investors, what we can really provide is a common direction,”
said Durano.
Local source of investment last 2007 reached P80
million, as opposed to the P62-million earned in 2006.
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