Private firms helping restore Boracay

ILOILO CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) welcomes the participation of several private firms in the government’s efforts to rehabilitate Boracay Island in Aklan.

DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu recently signed memorandums of agreement (MOAs) with Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. and JG Summit Petrochemical Corp. (JGSPC) acknowledging their contributions in cleaning up the resort island.

Coca-Cola donated a surf rake or a tractor-towed beach cleaner, while JGSPC is bringing back to life one of Boracay’s wetlands.

Instead of manual work, the surf rake can regularly clean the stretch of the famous white-sand beach. It can capture small objects such as broken glass, plastic, syringes, sea grass, or seaweed.

JGSPC is reviving for a three-year period Boracay’s Wetland No. 8, the 1.8-hectare area in ManocManoc village.

DENR Regional Director Francisco Milla Jr. said DENR has partnerships with major companies, which are aimed to help sustain the work that was started last year.

DENR also has partnerships for Boracay’s wetland rehabilitation with Energy Development Corp., San Miguel Corp., Aboitiz Equity Ventures, and Boracay Tubi System Inc.