Out of 200 hotels and resorts registered by municipal authorities in Panglao, Bohol only 32 complied with environmental requirements to establish a sewage and wastewater facility.
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7) regional director William Cuñado warned that if they continue to violate environmental laws and ignore notices of violation, the erring establishments will be fined P10,000 per day and ultimately closed down.
“The imposition of monetary penalty will start upon discovery of contaminated seawaters based on the results of water testing conducted by EMB-7 until they’ve corrected the violation. Aside from this, a cease and desist order will also be issued by the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB),” Cuñado explained.
EMB-7 is still collating the actual number of establishments operating on Panglao Island, in coordination with Panglao’s local government unit (LGU) and the Department of Tourism (DOT-7).
But initial results of the probe show that while only 80 Panglao hotels and resorts are found on DENR records, an LGU list shows that 200 establishments have actually opened on the island.
Most of these establishments, said Cuñado, were unable to secure a discharge permit from EMB.
The order to crackdown on environmental violators in Panglao Island was issued by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu during a visit to Cebu last Tuesday to attend the 2nd Philippine Environment Summit.
DENR-7 Director Gilbert Gonzales immediately formed a regional investigation team composed of technical personnel from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) in Bohol and EMB-7 to review all establishments operating in Bohol’s popular tourist destination.
“Next to Boracay, Panglao Island in Bohol is another paradise we need to protect .. we will strictly and seriously enforce and implement our environmental laws in Panglao Island and ensure that it will remain as one of the country’s top tourist destinations,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales said that the team will immediately conduct a monitoring of all establishments along Panglao Bay to determine if they had complied with the Clean Water Act and the Solid Waste Management Act and if these establishments are operating within timberland areas.
“The regional team we created will have to look on the sewage and wastewater facilities including the garbage disposal system of each establishment operating within the island especially those along the coastal areas. Also, we have to look into the land classification of these areas to make sure that public-owned or forestlands are not occupied by illegal settlers or illegal structures built and operated by local and foreign businesses,” said Gonzales.
“Under the Clean Water Act, anything that goes to the sea should be treated first and should pass water quality assessments by the EMB, we have to strictly look into these and monitor the water quality of the receiving coastal waters along the bay,” he explained.
Once the team draws up a list of establishments that have no proper waste disposal and treatment facilities, notices of violation will be issued to give the operators and owners enough time to respond and take action.
If the actions taken are insufficient, a cease and desist order will be issued against the establishments by DENR, Gonzales said.
Compliance Monitoring
EMB-7 is now using a compliance monitoring system matrix not only in Panglao but in the whole of Central Visayas.
Cuñado revealed that in Panglao’s famous Alona beach, the presence of E. coli and fecal coliform slightly exceeds accepted environmental standards; but the situation, he said, is not alarming and the seawaters in the whole of Panglao Island remain safe.
“We are coordinating with hotel and resorts organization in Bohol in order to help in convincing establishments to comply while we are also conducting seminars and forums.” he said.
Meanwhile, Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto expressed support for DENR’s efforts to protect the seas.
“We have the same directives with DENR to the LGU of Panglao. We even have our own Panglao Island and Tagbilaran Executive Committee (PITEC) which helps us in monitoring discharges compliance and easement regulations of hotels and resorts,” Chatto said.
Chatto added that they have to take care of the province’s tourism industry, especially with the expected surge in tourist arrivals as Panglao Island International Airport opens this August.
“To have a sustainable tourism, we have to implement responsible tourism,” Chatto said.
The Bohol governor also reminded tourists to help in preserve tourist spots in the province, by following rules in sanitation and observing cleanliness.