FLOATING cottages cannot open for business in Talisay City until the City Government comes up with an ordinance regulating their operation.

Once all the kinks are ironed out and the ordinance is approved, then it’s all systems go, said Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr., referring to the floating cottages owned by businessman George Aznar that are currently anchored off the coast of Barangay Poblacion.

“I am for the improvement of our tourism in the city, especially if it benefits the residents of Talisay. That’s why I support putting up floating cottages because it will bring economic activity to people, especially after the difficulties of Covid and (Typhoon) Odette,” he said in a mix of English and Cebuano.

The mayor said they still have to agree on the size of a floating cottage, adding that it will be required to have an onboard septic tank.

He also reminded would-be operators to dispose of their waste properly and secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate.

“As of this moment, since our ordinance is still being crafted and still pending approval, floating cottages cannot operate in our city. That will be the benefit of our owners, customers and the people living within the coastline,” Gullas posted on his social media page.

In earlier interviews, the mayor said the city government just wanted to avoid what happened in Cordova town.

On Aug. 9, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued Executive Order 19 stopping the further construction of illegal structures like floating and fixed cottages “within the foreshore area, mangrove zone, public beach zone and municipal fishing zones” of the municipality in Mactan Island.

Later, Garcia temporarily suspended the operation of floating cottages in the town to facilitate the rehabilitation of Cordova’s polluted coast.

The unregulated establishment of floating and fixed cottages on and along the town’s coast was blamed for the high fecal coliform level in the water. (PJB)