Lapu officials announce plan to amend environmental fee ordinance
Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan and Councilor Annabeth Cuizon hold a dialogue with pump boat operators on Tuesday, May 20.| Photo from Lapu-Lapu City PIO
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – The Lapu-Lapu City Government has announced its plan to amend its environmental fee ordinance that allows the collection of P100 from visiting local and foreign tourists.
If amended, a much lower fee of only P20 will be collected from local tourists. However, the collection of the P100 fee will stay for foreign tourists.
The ordinance, that allows the collection of P100 environmental fee from local and foreign tourists who engage in water sports and other recreational activities like scuba diving, free diving, banana boat riding, jet skiing, sea walking, parasailing, kayaking, and island hopping on the city’s waters, was passed in 2023.
It was implemented starting on May 1, 2024.
However, its implementation was met with opposition by tourism industry players who complained of a massive drop in tourism visits.
Pump boat operators claimed that tourists have transferred to the neighboring Cordova town to avoid paying Lapu-Lapu’s environmental fee.
Dialogue
On Tuesday, May 20, Chan and Councilor Annabeth Cuizon, who is the author of the environmental fee ordinance, called for a dialogue with pump boat operators to listen to their concerns.
After the dialogue, the two officials announced a plan to amend the ordinance.
Cuizon said she will meet with her co-proponents for them to already start working on the planned amendments.
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