Boracay Update - Said to Reopen Oct 26

[Dave Hounddriver]

No longer a cesspool, Boracay to reopen on Oct. 26 – Cimatu

Boracay natives may regain lands

So, miraculously after just a couple of months,  the sea is clean already and Duterty will give the land to the locals who can then sell it to big business (I read that to be Chinese casinos)  Is anyone surprised?

Quote

 

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has reaffirmed that Boracay Island would be reopened to tourism on Oct. 26.

“I would like to say categorically that we will be opening Boracay [on] Oct. 26 … Categorically, I am saying that Boracay is no longer a cesspool,” Cimatu told lawmakers during a Wednesday hearing by the House of Representatives’ natural resources committee.

 

 

Quote

 

The original inhabitants of Boracay Island may soon get back their lands under the agrarian land reform program and then sell it to businessmen for a profit, President Rodrigo Duterte said late Tuesday.

Speaking in Pampanga during the oathtaking of newly elected barangay captains, the President said he would only want Boracay’s beach front to be used for commercial purposes, while the rest of the island would be subject to land reform.

The chief executive said the resort island can only take so much because it’s just a small strip of land.

“I’ll give it to the natives so by the time that the big businesses will go in, they already have the titles and may sell them. My consolation is they will have huge money,” the President said.

 

 

[scott h]

3 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

the sea is clean already

Not really surprised, if I remember my biology and other long forgotten college courses, the earth has a miraculous way of healing itself. I think sunlight breaks down the chloroform and other pollutants,, add that to the prevailing current. If true  lets hope that they have put into place the needed sewage reclamation systems and USE THEM !!!!! 

[Snowy79]

I'm on Boracay just now. I managed to talk my way past security. All I can say is it'll take a long time to sort out the damage done widening the roads. It looks like a war zone. A few km has been widened but the buildings have been left hanging and some made weather tight with bits of corrigated irom and spare wood giving a lovely shanty town look. The owners don't have the money to tidy it up.

The roads are horrendous. Smashed up concrete, pot holes and gravel. The rubble from the demolition has blocked the drains leading to flooding. 

One good thing though is the green algae has gone from white beach. Local people said it was a natural phenomena and has happened since they were small children and had nothing to do with polution. Others blamed the polution and the algae feeding on it. Now the waste drains have been blocked and no tourists flushing presents out to sea the algae is no more so go figure. 

I'd give it years to complete the whole process if they ever complete it. 

 

[Old55]

7 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

I'm on Boracay just now. I managed to talk my way past security. All I can say is it'll take a long time to sort out the damage done widening the roads. It looks like a war zone. A few km has been widened but the buildings have been left hanging and some made weather tight with bits of corrigated irom and spare wood giving a lovely shanty town look. The owners don't have the money to tidy it up.

The roads are horrendous. Smashed up concrete, pot holes and gravel. The rubble from the demolition has blocked the drains leading to flooding. 

One good thing though is the green algae has gone from white beach. Local people said it was a natural phenomena and has happened since they were small children and had nothing to do with polution. Others blamed the polution and the algae feeding on it. Now the waste drains have been blocked and no tourists flushing presents out to sea the algae is no more so go figure. 

I'd give it years to complete the whole process if they ever complete it. 

 

Thanks for the first hand account. Sad.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

The algae was seasonal.  It will most likely be back.

[Snowy79]

4 hours ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

The algae was seasonal.  It will most likely be back.

Yes and this is the season when it is meant to be the worst when the wind changes direction. I just tried to walk the beach today and the sea is right up to the buildings. I've never seen it so high. Looks like with the 30m exclusion zone most properties should go. 

[Mike J]

23 hours ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

The algae was seasonal.  It will most likely be back

Agree but I would think it was made worse by the high levels of sewage being discharged into the water.  Not to mention the risk of sickness to people in the water.  Assuming it is no longer a cesspool, will they be able to keep it that way?  Will the majority of business establishments that violated the existing laws suddenly turn into law abiding corporate citizens? 

[Old55]

13 minutes ago, Mike J said:

Agree but I would think it was made worse by the high levels of sewage being discharged into the water.  Not to mention the risk of sickness to people in the water.  Assuming it is no longer a cesspool, will they be able to keep it that way?  Will the majority of business establishments that violated the existing laws suddenly turn into law abiding corporate citizens? 

Funny thing what money can do.....

[sonjack2847]

43 minutes ago, Old55 said:

Funny thing what money can do.....

And even funnier is the fact that people with money try to flaunt the rules.

[JDDavao II]

On 7/12/2018 at 2:26 PM, Dave Hounddriver said:

So, miraculously after just a couple of months,  the sea is clean already and Duterty will give the land to the locals who can then sell it to big business (I read that to be Chinese casinos)  Is anyone surprised?

 

Just a week or so back the principles were before a Congressional committee and were saying that they hadn't even yet decided how to divide residents up for service between the two water providers. In fact, they had said that they didn't even know how to to it so they asked the Office of the President to do it for them.

I fear this cleanup is going to be like so many things are here: Onay, wotay, hreetay, DONE! And blame any failures on someone else.