Newly appointed Secretary Roy Cimatu of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has directed officials of the agency in Western Visayas to provide him with weekly reports on the water quality in Boracay in an effort to address environmental concerns on the island and other tourist destinations.
In his first regional visit following his assumption of the post of Environment Secretary, Cimatu vowed to prioritize ensuring water quality in the popular tourist destination at acceptable standards. Cimatu said the agency would also evaluate the proposal to continue the suspension of the issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC) until the approval of the Boracay master plan. The quality of water and solid waste management are among the major environmental concerns of the island resulting from unregulated development and the failure to strictly implement environmental laws.
