By Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio
THE Department of Environmental and Natural Resources announced on Friday that it has already issued Certificates of Conditional Approval (CCAs) to 159 establishments in Boracay.
Establishments issued with CCAs are allowed to proceed to the Department of Interior and Local Government for assessment of permits, then to the Department of Tourism for final accreditation and clearance to operate when Boracay opens on Oct. 26.
These are establishments that have complied with all requirements of the DENR, apart from the setting up of sewage treatment plants (STPs) which are still undergoing construction.
The DENR also lifted the suspension of environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) of establishments that have already complied with the requirements.
“In view of the upcoming opening of the island on Oct. 26, 2018 after its closure for 6 months, the EMB (Environmental Regional Bureau) Regional Office 6 is hereby authorized to lift the suspension of ECCs of all complying hotels and establishments in said island,” DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said in a memorandum addressed to his agency’s regional directors in Western Visayas.
Mr. Cimatu also ordered the regional office to continuously monitor the compliance of those establishments and submit regular monitoring reports.
“Likewise, the EMB Regional Office 6 shall continue to monitor establishments despite such lifting of suspension of their respective ECCs, and monitor all establishments issued with Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) to ensure their compliance with environmental laws and assure that no violation against the same is committed,” according to Mr. Cimatu.
CNCs are issued to proposed projects which are unlikely to cause adverse environmental impact on the tourist island.

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