DILG: Almost one-third of Boracay establishments may be allowed to operate in October

By Camille A. Aguinaldo
The government may open Boracay Island by Oct. 26 with at least 30% of the establishments allowed to operate, Department of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco V. Densing said on Monday, Aug. 20.
“The target is between 30% to 50% now that the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) will release their carrying capacity study. Around 30 to 50% (establishments) may be opened,” he said during the continuation of the Senate hearing on Boracay’s environmental woes.
Four months into the island’s closure, Mr. Densing said several establishments remained noncompliant with the necessary permits from the local and national government as well as the directive to connect to the sewer lines of water concessionaires or to install their own sewage treatment plants (STPs).
According to DILG’s count, there were about 2,384 establishments in Boracay. Mr. Densing said only 71 out of 440 hotels, inns, and restaurants have complete business requirements as of Monday. Meanwhile, only 21 out of 162 establishments have sewage treatment plants based on DENR’s figures presented during the hearing.
In an interview with reporters, Mr. Densing clarified that the government is still looking at 100% compliance of businesses but he said they will have to settle with a 30% target to ensure the improved water quality attained during the closure is maintained with the island’s opening.
“If 30% (of establishments) are connected to the sewer line, only 30% have STPs in total, then we’ll have to open it at 30%… It is not to the interest of everybody to keep Boracay closed. But if you are not following the law to make sure that the water quality that comes out of the island is (class) SB levels, then we’ll have to do with the 30%,” he added.