Closure and demolition of parts of the Boracay West Cove ordered by DENR

Update October 19, 2014 – DENR ends lease agreement with controversial Boracay resort

Remember my May 31, 2011 article on Manny Pacquiao alleged Boracay West Cove lounge sits on top of Cemented age old rock formation?

Ten days after I posted those photos, The Malay Mayor John Yap, town officials and members of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office ordered the Boracay West Cove closed.

Then another good news today July 20,2012 or a year after I posted the photos. Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and Environment Secretary Ramon Paje ordered the closure and demolition of parts of the resort for violating the Forest Land Use Agreement for Tourism Purposes (FLAgT) issued by the DENR to the resort in 2009 under then Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza.

Quoting a DENR report, Robredo said West Cove built structures in areas exceeding the 998 square meters covered by the Forest Land Use Agreement for Tourism Purposes (FLAgT) issued by the DENR to the resort in 2009 during the term of then Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza.

Here is a report from Inquirer.net

In what many believed would have been impossible in Boracay, government agencies demolished illegal structures of a posh resort for encroaching on a no-build zone among various other alleged violations of local and environmental laws.

At least 150 officials, policemen and demolition team members tore down parts of Boracay West Cove past 8 a.m. yesterday in Barangay Balabag at the northern end of the island.

The DENR Environmental Management Bureau said the resort built permanent structures in an area covering 3,159 square meters outside the 998-sq m area covered by the FLAgT.

A FLAgT allows the temporary use, occupation and development of any forest land for tourism purposes for 25 years and renewable for another 25 years.

The resort was also ordered closed for operating without business, building and mayor’s permits.
West Cove became controversial for structures built on rock formations and operating for years without permits.

From this beautiful rock formation:

Before rock formation was cemented. Photo via pep.ph

During construction in 2008. Photo Via Katrina Ludwig in Flickr

And this abomination

After cementing the beautiful rock formation

Good to know Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is now exerting its political will. Hope other illegal structures of other Boracay Resorts follow suit.