I was in Boracay from May 24-26, 2008 to personally look into the construction site of the Crown Regency Hotel and Convention Center. The P1.2 billion hotel and convention center project is being opposed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) because according to Secretary Lito Atienza, the project site is a wetland.
After conducting a site visit, I was convinced that it was really a "wet land" because the land was wet, if that's what how the good ex-mayor of Manila defines it.
In this case, most parts of Metro Manila are wetland during the rainy season because the land becomes wet after being submerged by floodwater.
Anyway, Boracay still has the most beautiful beach in the world, as far as I'm concerned. It continues to attract the most beautiful people - women particularly.
No wonder many of my friends said Boracay is where even grown ups would have wet dreams.
Court-commissioned experts to rule Boracay 'wetland' issue
Unpublished in the Business Mirror
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
MALAY, Aklan - A panel of experts to be commissioned by a local court in Aklan will soon determine the land classification of a 1.6-hectare property of J. King and Sons Inc. in the world famous Boracay Island which will determine the legality of its P1.2 billion Boracay Crown Regency Hotel and Convention Center project.
Augusto Macam, lawyer for Richard King Jr, chief executive officer and chairman of J. King and Sons Inc said as per order of the court, they will submit not later than Tuesday a list of names to Judge Elmo del Rosario of the Aklan RTC Branch 5 who will name the members of the commission.
Likewise, the DENR, being the other party in the case initiated by J. King and Sons Inc. is expected submit its own recommendation next week.
“The members of the commission will determine whether the property in question is a wetland or nor. If it is not, then it means it doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the DENR,” he told reporters during a press conference here on Saturday.
He also said that the commission will be asked to define "wetland" which he said is unclear based on the DENR's own classification.
The court, in ordering the creation of the commission, granted the petition of J. King and Sons to for the purpose of determining the classification of the property.
J. King and Sons sought for court reprieve to prevent Atienza from allegedly "maliciously harassing” this town's local officials and J. King and Sons company executives to prevent the hotel and convention project.
The project is expected to be completed within the next three years.
Based on its tax declaration, the property formerly owned by the Garcia family is an agricultural land devoted to coconut in 1948 until it was reclassified into a tourism zone in 1998. The property, which is one of six properties acquired by J. King and Sons in Boracay more two years ago, is situated along the major road of Barangay Balabag. Just across the construction site is a branch of Allied Bank.
Local town officials have questioned the failure on the part of the DENR’s to clearly define what is a “wetland” adding that not all wetlands, particularly in Boracay, are government property.
The construction site, although is partly submerged under water that was diverted from a nearby wetland is at the heart of a residential and commercial area in Barangay Balabag. Several business establishments are situated near the property.
At the same press conference, King said the construction of the Boracay Crown Regency Hotel and Convention Center will continue, saying they have complied with all the requirements of the law to proceed with the construction.
“We have complied with the requirements for the construction of this project. And there’s no reason for us to stop it. Our project is not covered by the moratorium because the permits have been issued by the local government before the moratorium was passed and approved,” King said.
Macam told reporters during a site inspection of the property that their recommendation will include experts from the academe, the field of property planning and development, a geologist and a former DENR undersecretary.
King said the trees that were cut as part of the development of the property were planted by people who used to live in the community, and hence are not covered by the DENR guidelines in the cutting of tees. He was reacting to Atienza’s allegation that the company violated environmental laws in cutting the trees without securing a permit.
The classification of the property as per its tax declaration by the owners since 1948 is being questioned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) led by Secretary Lito Atienza who filed graft charges against Cawaling and J. King and Sons Inc. executives led by King for the continued construction of the hotel, on this basis, saying it proceeded without an environmental clearance certificate from any of the agency’s offices in Quezon City or Aklan and an existing construction moratorium passed by the members of the Sangguniang Bayan.
He said Cawaling has given King and his company undue favor which constitutes graft while the company execs, in defying his order to stop the construction which allegedly led to the destruction of the “wetland” that’s also unfit for such construction project.
Next week, King said it will be his turn to file charges against Atienza and DENR Region 6 officials for alleged graft, saying it was the DENR chief who is liable for violating Republic Act 3019, particularly when it caused his company undue injury in filing the graft charges against them last week.
King dismissed the filing of the case against him and the mayor as attempt to harass and prevent his company from pursuing the project to favor hotel owners who do not want his company to put up the said project, which is projected to be the biggest hotel in Boracay Island.
The hotel and condominium project will have a total of 457 rooms, a 2,800 sq. m swimming pool with water park and kiddie attraction.
The hotel will also have its P20 million sewerage treatment plant that makes it one of the very few hotels with such in compliance with existing laws, particularly the building code of this town, and the Clean Water Act.
