DENR says rehabilitation plan for other tourism sites on track alongside Manila Bay repair

ILOILO CITY — While the spotlight has recently been trained on the rehabilitation of Manila Bay, work on improving other popular tourism sites after Boracay is continuing, according to a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official.
“This is the best time to build on what we have done in Boracay. Right now, we are working with different tourism sites like El Nido (Palawan), Panglao (Bohol), Siargao (Surigao del Norte), Puerto Gallera (Mindoro),” DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Juan Miguel T. Cuna said last week here during the turnover ceremony for the new Western Visayas regional executive director.
Boracay is part of the Western Visayas.
Mr. Cuna said work on the Manila Bay will require significant resources, but rehabilitation plans could be achieved with strong national government support.
“The rehabilitation of Manila Bay will forsake a lot of time and effort (but) if the national government is fully behind like what we saw here in Boracay, nothing is impossible,” he said.
The presentation of the proposed Manila Bay rehabilitation plan is scheduled on Jan. 15.
Meanwhile, newly-installed DENR-Western Visayas Regional Executive Director Francisco E. Milla, Jr. called on the department’s local workers to continue the momentum from Boracay’s transformation.
“The image and moral ascendancy of our department has never been better than today. I appeal and ask for more than 100% cooperation and support as I begin my responsibility as the head of this department,” Mr. Milla told the employees in his speech. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo