Boracay is the pride of the Philippines when it comes to white sand beaches and beach nightlife activities.
And in the government’s effort of retaining its natural beauty and allure, stricter policies and rules are being implemented. According to the travel search engine, Cheapflights.com, this is especially so because Boracay just recently got into the list of the Top 10 party beaches in the world.
Sangguniang Bayan has made amendments to implement stricter policies on anyone who is caught stealing sand from Boracay’s shores. These policies include the banning of the extraction and collection of pebbles from the island.
The amendments were done through Municipal Ordinance number 310 by the Sangguniang Bayan of Malay, Aklan. The information was published in a local newspaper for everyone’s attention and knowledge.
Why have the amendments been made in Boracay?
The amendments came about because Boracay’s beauty has been slowly diminishing due to the degradation of the island. There are fears it may ruin or lose its place as one of the world’s top 10 beaches.
“Boracay Island, a masterpiece of nature endowed by the Almighty with powdery white sand, is gradually dissipated by man’s selfish interests without due regard to consequences,” was stated in the ordinance.
This implementation of the amendments is supported by the constitutional provision that man has the right to live in a balanced and healthy ecology and the mandate of the Local Government Code, which states that appropriate penalties shall be applied to any violations against the protection and preservation of the environment.
What is the penalty for breaching the amendments?
If anyone is caught violating the amendments for the first time, a penalty of P2,500 will be imposed, or the culprit will be imprisoned for a month and not more than three months. However, it is the discretion of the court if both will be imposed on the person.
Indeed, there is a clear and urgent need to protect beach resorts such as Boracay for sustainable tourism and development.