ILOILO CITY — Residents of Boracay Island have expressed outrage and frustration over flooded areas along the island’s main road.
The flooding, which was worsened by heavy rains in recent days, has inconvenienced residents and tourists especially those going to or residing in Sitio Diniwid in Barangay Balabag at the northern end of the 1,032-hectare island.
In community Facebook groups, residents called on the local government to address the problem.
“It’s shameful to tourists and taxpayers that this happens every time it rains,” said one of the residents.
The flooding along the main road, which connects the three villages of the island, has been generally blamed on lack or failure of the drainage system and the covering and building of structures on wetlands on the island.
Environmentalists have repeatedly warned and called for a regulation or moratorium on the building of more structures as tourists continue to increase.
More tourists visit Boracay during the last quarter of each year with visitors peaking at summer especially from April to May.
Malay Municipal Engineer Elizer Casidsid said the flooded area at Diniwid is low-lying, where water flows especially during heavy rains.
He said the area has not been reached by a drainage system being put up by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, an agency under the Department of Tourism.
The project covers most of the 8-kilometer main road which is parallel to the white beach where hotels, resorts and restaurants are concentrated.
Phase 1 of the project has been completed, and the second phase is expected to start next year. The northern part of the island will be covered under the third phase, said Casidsid.
In Eastern Samar, heavy rains spawned by Tropical Storm “Urduja” flooded at least 10 villages from different towns on Thursday.
Two barangays were affected in Salcedo town, five in Arteche town, 10 in Guiuan town, 2 in Llorente town and one each in Quinapondan and Maydolong towns, said Levi Nicart of the Eastern Samar Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
In Cebu, about 300 people were stranded in different Cebu ports after their voyages were canceled. Most of the vessels were bound for Southern Leyte. (See related story on page 35.)
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