THE Municipal Government of Oslob clarified that it is not closing the entire island of Sumilon for clean-up.
Mayor Jose Tumulak Jr. told SunStar Cebu that the town will clean up a sandbar and some dive sites off the island, which fall under the municipal government’s jurisdiction.
This, after a representative of a private resort in Sumilon Island cried foul over reports that the island will be closed for a week.
On the other hand, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 welcomed the Oslob Municipal Government’s move, adding it was one way for local government units to protect their tourism spots and prevent major losses for the tourism sector.
Some local government units (LGU) like Santa Fe in Bantayan Island and Lapu-Lapu City are also planning to implement their own programs to ensure their resorts and beaches remain clean and safe.
In an interview yesterday, Mayor Tumulak said that the week-long closure and clean-up drive will focus on a sandbar and dive sites situated about a kilometer away from Barangay Bangkogon and just off Sumilon Island proper.
Tumulak said that town officials wanted to close the two areas from April 10 to 16 as they want to clean it up after large crowds of tourists spent Holy Week in those areas.
It will also give the two areas some time to “take a breather” after accommodating so many tourists, the mayor said.
Various sectors led by the LGU will start the clean-up on the sandbar on Tuesday. Divers, including officers of the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy, will clean up the dive sites by picking up trash left underwater.
Tumulak denied that the closure order includes Sumilon Island proper, where the Bluewater Island Resort is situated.
In a separate interview, Enrico Monsanto, Bluewater Island Resort marketing and communications manager, assured their incoming guests that it’s “business as usual” on their property.
They’ll even help
The resort plans to send 15 of their divers and a marine biologist to help authorities clean up the two areas, Monsanto said.
Monsanto said their resort was one of the many who pushed not only for the clean-up drive but also the rehabilitation of the sandbar and dive sites surrounding Sumilon Island.
They called on the LGU to regulate the entry of pumpboats carrying tourists to the sandbar, after some boat operators refused to pay for restroom fees after they had brought tourists to the attraction.
In a separate interview, DENR 7 Director Gilbert Gonzales praised the Oslob Municipal Government’s move.
If local officials approve, they are willing to assist the municipal government on how they can best implement the clean-up.
In Santa Fe town, Mayor Jose Esgana told SunStar Cebu he subscribes to Oslob’s idea, if it meant protecting their tourism sites from degradation.
With the passage of the Septage Waste Management Ordinance earlier this month, Esgana said he plans to meet with tourism stakeholders to discuss their responsibilities and the consequences if they fail to manage their waste.
But Esgaña said he would only consider temporary closure of a tourism site as a last resort.
Hembler Mendoza, Lapu-Lapu City Tourism head, told reporters that the City will assemble an inter-departmental team that will inspect beach resorts and dive shops. They will also collect water samples to check for contamination.
Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Harry Don Radaza, who chairs the committee on tourism and sports development, said the order to close tourism activities in Boracay was a wake-up call for them to improve their own resorts. Boracay’s tourism activities will have to cease for six months, starting on April 26.
“If we are not watchful with how our resorts are implementing their responsibility to the environment, then we could become the next Boracay,” Radaza added. (JKV), SCG), FVQ)