Senator Nancy Binay urged the Senate to investigate the need to promote a “zero-waste” tourism policy in the world famous resort island of Boracay.
“The threats of inefficient waste management on the environment, especially on tourist destinations in the country still persist,” Binay said in filing Senate Resolution no. 313.
The Senate Committees on Environment and Tourism will jointly hear the resolution, with a committee hearing scheduled for March 2 on Boracay Island.
“Ang sabi nga, ‘what happens now determines what will happen to the world.’ That is why it is imperative to conduct a multi-level inquiry on what is being implemented by the LGUs for us to strengthen environmental laws in line with the current environmental conditions facing the country,” the legislator added.
The lawmaker warned of an “impending ecocide” that can happen in the world famous resort island of Boracay if over-commercialization, pollution, and other pressures are not mitigated.
Over-commercialization, pollution, and overcrowding are recipes for ecological genocide.
“Nasa crossroad na ang Boracay dahil sa over-commercialization, pollution, overcrowding nito. These are already recipes for ecological genocide, and it’s waiting to happen kung hindi natin aagapan,” the senator pointed out.
Binay said that a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study done by Filipino and Japanese scientists warned of “imminent loss” in their research done from 2010 to 2015.
The Coastal Ecosystem Conservation and Adaptive Management (CECAM) study added that the island’s coral reef ecosystem has been seriously degraded by tourism-related activities.
“Over-commercialization has compromised the island’s natural beauty. But there is still hope. What we can do is to make Boracay a model of responsible tourism, at pagsikapan nating ibalik ang dating alindog ng isla,” she added.
