Who cures
Boracay problem?

Yesterday, I thought it unwise to start discussing the problem of Boracay Island, the favorite haunt of vacationers just shortly before the Holy Week.

The question, however, if we don’t’ start hammering on these who will? And when?

The Holy Week brings to the fore a secularized penchant of Filipinos and foreigners to enjoy Boracay and its ideal climate for their annual vacation. And nobody should intrude into their favorite past-time. A vacation it is and nothing must interfere to disrupt it.

The problem, however, was the well-documented and intensive research by Failon, the ABS-CBN network’s in-depth probe into what makes Boracay tick. And the many things that Failon had uncovered of widespread official neglect and apparent disregard for rules and regulations that the government grant of ECC and others, is turning out to be contributing to the gradual deterioration of the island.

The Failon expose reported a series of “missing ECC’s” and their whereabouts, either in the main office and the intrusive or violative constructions already booming as hotels. And local officials are also turning their eyes blind to these flagrant violations that have transformed Boracay into a sprawling urban jungle.

Talking about this problem just when the wave of guests are descending at the island-paradise is certainly not the correct time. Besides, as pointed out by somebody, now is not the time to disappoint prospective vacationers.

Boracay annually brings in some P2.1 billion income to the resorts and hotels in the area. So that anything problematic as a call for serious and intensive government review of what has happened can intrude into the flood of tourists flocking to Boracay.

The coming Holy Week, however, could serve as the best time for our top government officials to address the problems that now confronts Boracay, and not to bother tourists abut correct the mistakes that may eventually sink that island paradise into the past.

We hope that President Benigno Aquino III organizes a Cabinet task force that will analyze the missing ingredients in Boracay’s development. That could, to a certain extent, mitigate the damage already done to the island, which has gained fame worldwide as the playground of the fun-loving.

A task force consisting of the DOTC, the DENR, the DPWH and other should be created to unearth what were the things which had been overlooked or simply glossed over such as construction without the corresponding ECC and the go-signal given the hot owners and operators to build their establishments in areas where they are not supposed to be.

Just a few days after today, we are entering the annual Holy Week celebration. That is a period that should enable all of us to introspect and rethink our values and our mindset that have contributed to what we now see are signs that we have been trying in return for temporary gain to destroy the planet. And we still are given the time to correct our mistakes. But that means that we must have the courage and the determination to Boracay.

But I am not speaking only of Boracay. I also refer to what is happening all around us. The blind eye we use in looking at the despoliation of our dwindling mountains sparked by charcoal makers.

And how we daily contribute to the deterioration of the pristine earth God has made for man. Not for us to spoil or destroy it but to exploit and protect it at the same time.

We all blame others for what is happening to our earth and our communities. And yet we have never honestly examined ourselves as to how we have contributed to the gradual change in our climate. We think in terms of others contributing to the garbage around us, never bl;aming ourselves for what we have continued to it.

We just hope that this Holy Week will prod us to examine ourselves and honestly own up to how we have contributed in our own way to what is happening to our country and the community. We still have time before the Lord lowers the bottom on us to remind us in no uncertain terms of our guilt.

It is not God punishing man. But we punishing ourselves through our collective guilt for what is happening to us.

God loves us so much that He wants to save us from destroying ourselves. The punishment that we attribute to Him are just the result of what we have done and which He had warned us about. Not that He wishes it for us. We brought it upon ourselves.*

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