DENR to inspect island resorts in Central Visayas

RESORTS IN popular island destinations in the Central Visayas Region, such as Mactan and Bantayan in Cebu, and Panglao in Bohol, will be inspected by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) following the ongoing crackdown in Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan. DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said during an event in Cebu City on Tuesday that he was invited to check these islands in particular for possible violations. Mr. Cimatu has directed 12 teams composed of about 100 personnel from different DENR regional offices to inspect the sewer facilities of all business establishments in Boracay following reports that many are discharging untreated wastewater directly into the sea. Mr. Cimatu said personnel from the DENR Central Visayas regional office can plan and manage their visits to these islands, and they may also seek assistance from neighboring offices if necessary. The DENR chief said the resort-to-resort inspection in Boracay should serve as wake-up call to all local government units (LGUs) to act on existing problems in their respective jurisdictions. “On their own, they (local officials) will also be doing their job properly because I understand the secretary of DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) is really contemplating on filing necessary charges on (inept) LGUs,” he said. —