The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza imposed a ban on all hotel and vacation home construction projects in Boracay island.
Atienza has been attempting a moratorium on construction since August of last year, which local mayor Ciceron Cawaling failed to heed. According to Atienza, the island can no longer handle the additional construction without dire environmental consequences. Evidence of the island’s environmental degradation can be seen in the flooding of several business establishments during a period of heavy rains last year.
The DENR is currently writing a moratorium to the mayor to remind him of his duty to protect the island and enforce the construction ban, stressing the Constitution’s mandate to protect the environment. Should Cawaling fail to do anything about it, the Department of Interior and Local Government will have to act against him.
News source: The Inquirer