Say Goodbye to Boracay

SAY GOODBYE TO BORACAY

by Anton Antonio

June 4, 2015

“The last time I visited Boracay Island was December 2013.  In this visit, I had a lengthy chat with Bryan S. Madera… a colleague in a group called “The UPlanders”.  He summarized the fate of the island with this statement:  “I’m saddened by what is going on here.  It’s an environmental disaster waiting to happen. I really cannot understand how Boracay, because of her beauty, will die because she is beautiful… her beauty will be the reason for her death.”  (Antonio, 2014)  Bryan said these words, hopefully not prophetic, with a real look of concern.  Some two months ago, Bryan invited me to join a (secret) Facebook group known as “Marine Conservation Boracay” where I could post my usual environmental blogs and articles.  The group is composed of a curious but impressive mix of individuals (both foreigners and locals) seriously committed to the preservation and sustainable development and management of Boracay Island as a tourist destination without sacrificing biodiversity.

Sometime early July 2014, I wrote a blog titled “Are We Losing Paradise” (published in my blogsite: http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2014/07/are-we-losing-paradise.html.  This article, however, focused mainly on the problems of terrestrial (meaning:  relating to land as distinct from water) Boracay.  It should be noted that the biodiversity concerns of Boracay Island is not only limited to its land but also the water body around her.  A continuing research on Boracay would reveal both land and coastal problems.

Focusing on the beach and water ecosystem of Boracay, the following problems have been identified (from research materials gathered from the Manila Bulletin and Rappler):

1. 70% of coral reef loss in the island in the last 23 years is linked to tourism;
2. Coral reef degradation is the main cause or beach erosion causing the beach area to gradually shrink;
3. Unmonitored snorkling and scuba diving contributes to the decline in coral cover;
4. Water pollution contributes to coral reef degradation;
5. Water quality in parts of the island has deteriorated since the tourism boom started in the 1990s;
6. Some part of the island are already considered not safe for swimming due to water pollution largely due to untreated waste water discharge into the beach; and,The island’s drainage system is substandard due to the many commercial establishments on the island.

Boracay Island is one of the world’s favourite tourist destinations in the last four decades.  Undoubtedly, tourism is an important economic driver in the Philippines but Boracay should not be overburdened, overutilized, overexploited and overdeveloped.  We should see clearly that short-term economic gain is not a justified trade-off for long-term environmental problems.  We should also be aware that sustainable tourism in Boracay can only be realized by protecting its land and marine resources and its ecosystem in general.  Or else, we could all say goodbye to Boracay.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCES:

Antonio, A. C. (2014).  “Are We Losing Paradise?” Retrieved on June 4, 2014 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2014/07/are-we-losing-paradise.html

Manila Bulletin (2015). “JICA: Boracay’s Coral Reef Degraded, Experiencing Beach Erosion”.  Retrieved June 4, 2014 from http://www.mb.com.ph/jica-boracays-coral-reef-degraded-experiencing-beach-erosion/

Rappler (2015).  “Tourism Linked to 70% Coral Loss in Boracay”.  Retrieved on June 4, 2015 from http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/environment/95264-tourism-coral-cover-loss-boracay?utm_content=buffer9286e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer