Our propensity to destroy our environment

For so many years, we have been hearing about the deteriorating state of Boracay, but it had to take the ire of President Duterte and the threat to shut it down for everyone concerned, especially local government officials, to move their bottoms and do something about the sanitation and wastewater problems of the island. What was once a very beautiful island paradise has become, in the words of the president, a cesspool that smells like sh**.

And it does smell like that, which is why many people who used to go there regularly in the past are now totally turned off, compounded by reports about the high levels of coliform bacteria in the beach waters – indicative of the presence of human and animal waste, causing algae to proliferate.

People used to rejoice every time Boracay gets cited as one of the best travel destinations in the world, failing to take into consideration the over-commercialization and reckless overdevelopment that is causing the destruction of the popular tourist destination that attracts over two million tourists a year. Of the hundreds of hotel resorts and restaurants, massage parlors, cafes, rental shops and other kinds of commercial establishments, only a few comply with sanitation and antipollution laws. Many of these establishments are not connected to the sewage line and simply dump their waste in the water. And with the onset of the summer season and the influx of visitors from all over, you can expect the crappy situation to get even worse.

We are a country richly blessed with so many beautiful natural resources, with tourism a major draw that could be a key source of revenue, plus the fact that it is a big source of employment. Filipinos are known for being hospitable and having warm personalities, giving service with a smile – which makes us perfect for the hospitality business.

All of these things are what attract many people from the United States, and those who have been here remember the Philippines and its people with fondness. Every time I meet US senators and congressmen, they only have good things to say about Filipinos in their respective jurisdictions, like Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska whom Secretary Cayetano and I met last week. Alaska has some 30,000 Fil-American residents.

Filipinos themselves are the best ambassadors for tourism – which is why it is so unfortunate to see places like Boracay going to waste because of greed by businessmen and the complicity of corrupt local officials. In the past several years, the massive influx of tourists and unfettered commercialism has caused untold damage to the natural ecosystem.

A few years ago, the local government of Aklan even tried to implement a 40-hectare, P1-billion reclamation project in Boracay and Caticlan (without consultation with all stakeholders) that would have resulted in the construction of establishments that will affect the flow of the tides between the islands and erode the sands of Boracay even further.

Apparently, a Boracay “master plan” drafted in 2007 already examined the impact of existing tourismrelated activities and the effect of future development projects on the island – warning about the urgency of the environmental conditions due to unregulated development, pointing out that the construction of resorts and facilities along easements, illegal reclamation, destruction of the natural beauty of the coastline are the source of environmental and other problems.

Take a look at Tagaytay that about 40 years ago was a very nice place just one hour away from Manila. Today, the natural beauty of Tagaytay has been spoiled because of crass commercialism, over-building and the lack of zoning that has turned the main road into a horrific traffic mess as bad as EDSA, with pollution also becoming a major concern.

Very often, I wish we have never gone into any major industry because of the destruction that can come with it. Admittedly, tourism generates jobs and contributes to the growth of the economy, but this should not be at the cost of destroying the environment. However, it is possible to strike a balance between progress and environmental protection through sustainable development, where biodiversity is also protected and preserved.

One can turn a natural paradise into a tourist haven without destroying it, like what travel and hospitality business people did in Hawaii, by maintaining the pristine nature of the beaches and preserving the rich natural heritage of the island paradise for future generations to enjoy and experience. Last year, Hawaii recorded a banner year with 9.38 million visitors who spent $16.78 billion and generated close to $2 billion in taxes – underscoring the industry’s importance to Hawaiian economy.

In El Nido in Palawan, local officials are working with businessmen to address environmental issues and mitigate the impact of tourism-related activities on the island and its natural resources, and preserve its rich biodiversity.

The Philippines has all the ingredients necessary to make tourism a major economic contributor, especially now that Philippine Airlines has been certified as a 4-Star airline by Skytrax, the prestigious London-based international air transport rating organization.

Jimmy Bautista has been working hard to turn PAL into a 5-Star airline, and this latest milestone brings them a step closer to that goal. No matter what people may say about Lucio Tan, we have to give him credit for his steadfast commitment to keep PAL flying despite the many challenges over the years, because “PAL is the Philippines and the Philippines is PAL.”

Hopefully, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will succeed in cleaning up Boracay – and prevent this natural island paradise from being totally destroyed and turning into a cesspool of sh**.

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