BORACAY ISLAND - Only 43 restaurants and 170 hotels have fully complied with the government’s environmental policies here, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said Thursday, the eve of the island’s scheduled reopening.
As of October 25, only 7,985 rooms are ready for occupancy while only 11 beachfront restaurants and 32 establishments in other parts of the island may operate starting Friday, Cimatu told ABS-CBN News.
Ninety-three other laundry shops, spas and other businesses also complied with government regulations, he said.
However, a list from the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force showed there are only 157 hotels and resorts accredited by the government.
Under the island’s new policy, a commercial establishment may operate only if it proves that it did not violate the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, garbage disposal laws, and observed the 30-meter easement rule.
It means they are not illegally discharging waste water, are segregating their garbage properly, and are not disposing hazardous waste, Cimatu said.
Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat earlier said the government will “padlock” non-compliant establishments that will operate on October 26.
Non-compliant hotels that booked guests must give a refund, otherwise they may be sued for estafa, Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said.
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the island closed on April 26 to cleanse its “cesspools” and regulate the overdevelopment.