Near-Future Potentials of Boracay Island
Back to Nature. Properly managing the marine protected areas (marine parks) and the rehabilitation of the mangrove systems on the island are initiatives that pave the way for re-establishing Boracay Island as an eco-tourism destination, with responsible tourism industry players initiating the move towards a sustainable development through the support of integrated laws and policies.
Moreover, with technical and staff support for the local government units, the development and promotion of the mainland Malay with its existing eco-tourism sites, is an expansion of the goal for an eco-tourism destination that promotes sustainable development. Currently, there are identified community-based ecotourism sites that have been established in mainland Malay. These are: the Malay Ecological Garden, Dalamuan Falls, Agnaga Falls and Cold Spring, Nabaoy River, and Naasug Limestone Cliffs, which are all community-based enterprises.
Large-scale sustainable tourism development over small-scale overdevelopment. One of the problems faced by the island is overdevelopment. Not because big industry players are overdeveloping the island, but because the smaller industry players are maximizing resources, space and potentials in a small area of development.
The CLUP has based its zoning on the identified 40% of the island as forest land that needs protection, under the FLAgT provisions. Some of these are foreshore areas. The current concentration of businesses and residences are in Barangay Balabag, where two of its longer and more developed beaches are.

Although the government land survey is not yet completed, it is already apparent that many of the businesses set up along these beaches are on forest land. Under the CLUP, the developments in the Balabag area shall be exclusively for tourism purposes. The areas in the southern tip shall be made residential areas. Finally, the one in the northern tip of the island are for high-end tourism developments.65 The Yapak development appears to be the direction for the future of Boracay.
Although the more popular criteria for sustainable development revolve upon the concept of “small is beautiful”, the trend is to focus more on what is more sustainable in terms of efficiency and monitoring capabilities to lessen or mitigate impact of tourism activities within an area.66 While small-scale developments are more favored by advocates of sustainable tourism, the Boracay experience has shown that in aggregate, a number of small-scale developments had more damaging power to the island. In fact, what has happened is that the small developments have not been experiencing a favored climate given the influx of the group tourists on the island in the recent years.
However, before any further critical development is conducted on the island, the governance mechanisms must be in place, and the stakeholders are prepared to address the long-term impact of such developments. In the end, efficiency, carrying capacity, and more importantly for Boracay, the integrated planning and management are the keys to sustainable tourism development.
65

Conclusion
The adverse effects of unplanned mass tourism development – with the factor of small-scale overdevelopment – have been plaguing the stakeholders of Boracay Island. Mismanagement, lack of political will, conflicting personal business interests, politicking among the stakeholders, and the complacency of the residents and local communities are among the main causes of the decline of Boracay Island from what used to be a nature-destination and became an island metropolis that resembles a mini urbanized city. This experience is not unique to Boracay. But if one studies the laws and the policies that have been set in place to regulate activities and to mitigate impacts of development, Boracay would have been a very good example of a sustainable tourism success story. Sadly, this is not the case.
The Tourism Act of 2009 that governs the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Authority and the Tourism Enterprise Zones, the Proclamation 1064 vis-à-vis the Guidelines for the Forest Land Use Agreement for Tourism Purposes, the Boracay Environmental Master Plan, the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the local ordinances declaring Marine Parks, and the rules and regulations being implemented by the various enforcement groups on Boracay Island should be integrated before any implementation mechanisms are drafted. The sophisticated legal structures and mandates that have always supported sustainable development on the island since the late 70s have the potential to create further confusion that may ultimately lead to non-implementation of the policies that should have been fundamental in the protection and preservation of Boracay Island.
The awareness and the realization by those who have allowed the overdevelopment and mismanagement of the island of the grave implications of such have triggered some action and community support to confront the problem that the Island and its people are facing. Personal differences and political maneuverings are still playing big roles in journey towards change. But it is

through proactive management and initiatives of the private sector, providing the proficiency in the tourism industry to the relatively young and less tourism-oriented local government of Malay, and the integration of the national laws and policies and local governance tools that Boracay Island can maintain and enhance its environment for the tourism industry and for the future generations to enjoy.

Guide Questions:

Note: This is a 2 page paper. Please refer to your course outline re format

1. Identify and present the different impacts of the national and local laws and policies on Boracay’s development

2. How Boracay Island does become a victim of its own beauty?

3. In your own point of view how will you reposition to rejuvenate and moved out Boracay Island from its stagnation stage?

[Reply]

MANILA, Philippines—Some 30 years ago, you could go on a rough two-hour ride going to Boracay and expect to discover a pristine white-sand beach without too much modern amenities like electricity, much less hotel accommodations. It was enough enjoyment and satisfaction to chat over a bonfire or lie down at night by the beach facing the moon and concocting dreams for the future. Afterwards, you could head back for sleep at the nipa hut nearby.

Nowadays, a visit to Boracay Island offers so many attractions apart from the beachfront that you could practically spend your whole vacation at the spa, shopping or eating at the varied restaurants that you may even disregard the sea’s presence.

Besides, so many people walk about the island, at least in certain areas, and privacy can be easily compromised. The Boracay sands’ whiteness has also diminished over the years.

In a July 2010 position paper presented by lawyer Roselle C. Tenefrancia at the World Ecotourism Conference in Malaysia, the case for Boracay’s overdevelopment was explained: “The adverse effects of unplanned mass-tourism development—with the factor of small-scale overdevelopment—have been plaguing the stakeholders of Boracay Island.

Mismanagement, lack of political will, conflicting personal business interests, politicking among the stakeholders, and the complacency of the residents and local communities are among the main causes of the decline of Boracay Island from what used to be a nature-destination and became an island metropolis that resembles a mini-urbanized city.”

The paper further suggested that Boracay is in a state of stagnation and could either go toward decline or rejuvenation—and that focus on small-scale development should be replaced by more large-scale infrastructure efforts.

Aside from ecological considerations, one key issue in the sustainability argument includes the benefits that the surrounding communities derive from business activities in the area.

Tenefrancia suggested that the increase in tourist arrivals did not necessarily translate to better local income. Try looking at it from a layman’s viewpoint. If you were to visit the islands, you could spend some of your money on hotel accommodations or restaurants whose owners or shareholders may be foreigners or Filipinos based elsewhere.

The street peddlers or small business owners may sell a few items like souvenirs, religious images, giant slippers, toys and the like but if you consider the low-value items found at the beachfront, then you surmise that natives may not be earning much, except for a few merchants, or perhaps some of those directly employed by the establishments.

However, there is a need to quantify the direct effect (economic and otherwise) of existing business establishments on the local culture and the surrounding communities.

The island is one of the country’s top tourist destinations. This simply means that we cannot allow Boracay to fail. While it is easy to simply tout the “Buy Local” or “Eco-Tourism” bandwagon, a deeper analysis of long-term consequences and requirements need urgent attention.

Although different sectors have their own approach on how to handle both urban and ecological growth, communication is the first step toward genuine understanding. And mind you, time may be running out. After all, nature waits for no one and speaks on its own accord.

[Reply]

Guide Questions:
Note: This is a 2 page paper. Please refer to your course outline re format
1. Identify and present the different impacts of the national and local laws and policies on Boracay’s development
2. How Boracay Island does become a victim of its own beauty?
3. In your own point of view how will you reposition to rejuvenate and moved out Boracay Island from its stagnation stage?

Boracay Island:
A Case for Reversing Island Tourism Over-Development to Promote Sustainable Tourism
Introduction
“Hardly has a last paradise been discovered than everyone converges on it so fast that it quickly becomes a paradise lost.” – A quote about Bali
Boracay Island in the province of Aklan, Panay Island, is a boot-shaped island with an area of 1,006.64 hectares (10.0664 sq km). It is an island under the political jurisdiction of the town of Malay, composed of three smaller units of government (called Barangays). It is part of the Visayan group of islands in the Central Philippines.

According to geologists, Boracay’s physical environment comes from the uplifted remnants of an ancient reef platform which covered the shallower areas of Sibuyan Sea. As the uplifting and deposition of calcium carbonate continued, the continental shelves were formed and two islets that used to be separate were joined together, forming the shape of Boracay Island. Mangrove systems in the marshlands, tropical trees and plants that are habitats to endemic animal species, rock formations developed from the tides, and coastal and marine environment, comprise a biodiverse eco-system that is characteristic of the Philippine archipelagic and marine systems.

The beaches on the island are laden with talcum-like white sands. The texture of the sands was much finer, more powdery and whiter more than two decades ago. The marine life and flora on the island, including inland marshlands, were very rich up to the early 1980s. The pristine character of the whole island and the unique quality of the sands on its several beaches were the primary motivation for travelers to visit the natural attraction. According to long-time locals and the local indigenous people, the changes on the sands over the years began in the 1980s when tourism developments began to sprout. It was in the 1990s when the character of the general physical make-up and the culture and sub-cultures of the people changed significantly. From then on, urban development became rapid. Every inch of space, from the highest point of the island, the inland waters on the hills and marshlands down to the low tide mark of the sea have been claimed by various individuals and business owners, and eventually corporate developers from the major cities in the country.
Urban development on Boracay Island became the priority for tourism for the past two decades which placed the Island on the list of the world’s top tourism destinations. The original motivation for travelers to come to the island – the white powder beaches, rich marine life and the serenity of the island – has been relegated to the sidelines in the planning process. In the meanwhile, tourism industry in the country was boosted significantly as Boracay became a brand – the best white sand beaches with the amenities and activities of a developed city.
The Boracay experience is a case study for the ecotourism industry. On the aspect of ecology, with all the tourism developments existing on the island, and still counting, the natural contour and physical attributes of the island are experiencing stress. Boracay being the jewel island of Philippine tourism is rapidly depleting its resources to cater to more and more commercial tourist needs.
The Boracay experience can also be considered a social experiment because a society and culture of various nationalities in a small island setting is evolving – a community of members who contribute their own cultures into a new society that is unique to Boracay. About 25,000 residents are estimated to be residing on the island – a mixture of local Aklanon, and the Filipino and non-Filipino expatriates – who have all become stewards of the island in their own right.
There is a new opportunity to reflect on what Boracay used to be – nature and environment at its best – and move forward to re-branding the island as a world-class ecotourism destination and a home to the new stewards of the island, leaving a natural legacy for the future generations to cherish. The challenge for Boracay is this: Can a rapid and unregulated urban tourism development project that went wrong have the chance to reverse it through a united island community and through the power of nature’s healing hands?

Impact of the national and local laws and policies on Boracay’s development
In 1978, Boracay Island was one of the islands in the Philippines declared as “tourist zones and marine reserves”. Any development projects or construction for any purpose were not allowed without the approval of the Philippine President. The then Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) was tasked to delineate well defined geographic areas within the zone with potential tourism value, promulgate rules and regulations, and coordinate the integrated development of these areas for the optimum use of natural assets and attractions as well as existing facilities.
A 1981 proclamation would further place Boracay Island under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) System having been declared a tourist zone in 1978. The fact that most parts of the island are unclassified land, meaning that most of these lands are still considered forest land, makes any development or construction project on the island an environmentally critical project. This implies that all projects within the zone were to undergo EIA.
With the increase in number of tourists came a corresponding increase in development. PTA spearheaded the construction of the main road plying through the middle of the island, from North to South, followed by the sewerage system. Source of water was still ground water until the 90s. Public transportation on the island has not been developed until the roads main road was completed.
Up until the late 90s, coming to Boracay was only via land transfer from Iloilo City, which had an airport then five hours away from the jump-off point to the Island. Boracay can also be reached by land from Kalibo (2 hours away) which had a pier for boats coming from Manila. A few pump boats, mostly fishing boats which doubled as passenger boats, carried passengers from Caticlan to the Island. The boat trip took about five to ten minutes, depending on the weather. Passengers would be brought directly to the long White Beach boat stations.
According to locals, tourist arrivals in the 70s and 80s increased because of foreign expat travelers visiting the place from other Southeast Asian countries. One theory they attribute this increased popularity to was the filming in 1970 on Boracay Island of the movie “Too Late The Hero” starring Michael Caine, set in the last months of World War II. Another theory was the publication of a German travel writer’s account of his visit to the island in the 80s, which encouraged European backpackers to trek this Philippine paradise island.
However, regardless of the reasons for the rising number of tourist arrivals, the President subsequently recognized the increasing number of tourists visiting Boracay Island. With this came the need to prevent the proliferation of activities that would degrade the ecosystem and destroy the natural attractions of the Island. In 1983, The Mayor of Malay was also mandated to suspend the issuance of building permits for any structure on the Island until the Philippine Tourism Authority would promulgate a development plan. Apparently, the construction of more buildings became more rampant despite this directive from the President. Diving and other leisure activities were also introduced within this decade, encouraging more people to visit the island. Despite the inconvenience of traveling to the island at that time, and electricity and fresh water were still non-existent, the island was placed as one of the best beaches in the tourism map by backpacker Europeans.
In 1986, a new Philippine government was installed after toppling a 20-year dictatorship. The main agenda of this new government were to re-establish democracy, agrarian reform rights and eradicating traces of the previous administration. Tourism for the country at that time was already on its ripe enviable stage in the Southeast Asian region. However, the close friends of the previous President were made to own islands that enriched them more while the dictatorship was still in place, without any direction from the government’s tourism department. The peace and order situation in the country and the unstable political situation in the Philippines during the period of transition were contributing factors to how tourism planning and direction have not been institutionalized.
In the meantime, the degradation of the resources of the country has been continuing. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources initiated the drafting of the Philippine Strategy for Sustainable Development in 1987. The strategy aimed to address specifically the adverse impact of growth and development, and the depletion and degradation of natural resources due mainly to misuse and over exploitation. The sectors identified, however, did not include the tourism industry. Nevertheless, the tourism sector, through the Department of Tourism, recognized the impact of the tourism industry on Boracay Island and its marine and coastal environments, and the socio-cultural development of its people.
In 1990, the Department of Tourism developed the Boracay Island Development Master Plan (BIDMP) to address the calls to create a master plan for the sustainable development of the island. The BIDMP dealt with tourism development policies aimed at promoting development of the island while ensuring the protection and nurturing of the natural environment, maximizing the participation of and collaboration with the private sector in planning. Development guidelines for the management and regulation of the island as a whole were formulated for these objectives while taking into consideration the conservation of the natural environment. Unfortunately, the BIDMP was not implemented and is left as an archive document in the DOT’s library. This situation was brought about by the devolution of the powers of the DOT to the various local government units (LGUs). In Boracay, these units are the Province of Aklan, the Municipality of Malay, and the Barangays of Yapak, Balabag and ManocManoc. The law that gave powers to the LGUs in 1991 was the basis for staking claim for local governance of tourism projects in the Philippines, including the island of Boracay.
The power struggle for control over the tourist island became stronger. While local government units claimed the right to manage the island on different levels, unabated and unregulated activities on the island continuously caused stress on the resources of the island. According to a former member of the
Philippine Tourism Authority, “Ramshackle lean-tos built helter-skelter by foreigners and their native cohorts dotted the landscape. Worse, the Local Government Code, enacted in the early 90’s as landmark legislation providing decentralization of central government authority, left the matter of tourism estate planning and implementation largely in the hands of local governments, with nothing else but inutile support from the DOT. Boracay was left to the tender mercies of LGU officials who had absolutely no idea about environmental safeguards or carrying capacity.”
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reinforced the 1970s policy of placing the management of Boracay Island under the Philippine Tourism Authority through a newly created group called the Eminent Persons Group-Boracay. The group shall be composed of various representatives from national government agencies and local residents, which ideally would have encouraged local participation in the management of the island. The focus on infrastructure development, such as road expansions and construction of new roads, improvement and expansion of potable water systems, improvement on the sewage services, created significant changes on the trend of tourism development on the island. With the existing hundreds of tourist establishments and thousands of households, these upgrades would surely entice more tourist operators to invest on the island.
In a subsequent Order, President Arroyo reiterated the PTA’s control over the island including the authority to suspend the issuance of building permits in collaboration with the Malay Mayor, and upon approval by the Secretary of Tourism and Aklan Governor. Although this seemed like a new mandate, it was simply a reiteration of the instructions given to the PTA and the Mayor or Malay in 1983. The only difference was the addition of a bureaucratic process of including the Tourism Secretary and the Provincial Governor for approval before any suspension could be implemented. This Order did not achieve its objective. According to the locals, the suspension only lasted for six months. Prior to the suspension, permits for substantial developments were already issued, and the continuing development could not have been stopped.

A Proclamation by President Arroyo caused confusion among the stakeholders on the island, particularly those who are land claimants. In this Proclamation, the President classified Boracay Island into 400 hectares of reserved forest land for protection purposes and 628.96 hectares of agricultural land (alienable and disposable). Under the same Proclamation, a proviso for a 15-meter buffer zone on each side of the centerline of roads and trails, reserved for right-of-way and which shall form part of the area reserved for forest land protection purposes, was also mandated. The right of the President to classify lands in Boracay Island was further affirmed by a Supreme Court decision in 2008. As a consequence of the proclamation and the Supreme Court decision, a comprehensive land use plan for Boracay Island was initiated by the Department of Tourism, setting the limits on developments on the island. Resulting from these legal developments on its land status, Boracay Island is not just a tourist zone; it is now also made up of lands classified as either forestland for protection purposes and agricultural land, the parcels of which are alienable and disposable. To mitigate the impact on the “land crisis” involving business owners operating within the 400 hectare declared forestlands, the DENR came up with the Forest Land Use Agreement for Tourism Purposes (FLAgT). This, however, is still not being implemented due to the opposition of the stakeholders who are advocating for land titles to complete their full ownership of the land, despite the ruling of the Supreme Court confirming the Proclamation.

Another offshoot of the Proclamation 1084 is the Boracay Environmental Master Plan, covering the period 2008-2033. This Plan provides for the island’s development directions, strategies and specific programs and projects that would address the identified environmental concerns. This 25-year master plan was drafted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The Plan proposes the formation of the Multi-Sectoral Planning Team, and a Multi-Sectoral Monitoring and Evaluation Team. The CLUP that the Department of Tourism is already a document that addresses the proposal of the Plan to develop a land use plan for the island. Enforcement and implementation mechanisms are still yet to be developed by the planning team.
The legal policies and mandates vested in various government units and national agencies have complicated the management process of Boracay Island as a tourism zone and at the same time a forest and agricultural land. A saving grace to this decades-long dilemma could be the newly enacted Tourism Act of 2009.26 The discussion of the provisions of the new law shall be included in the latter part of this paper.

Boracay Island as a Victim of its own Beauty
Although there is no known written history of Boracay Island, it is believed among the locals that the original inhabitants of the island were from the indigenous tribe of Panay Island, called the Atis. The Atis are nomadic peoples who lived on subsistence. According to an informal interview with the Ati Mission of the Holy Rosary Parish in Boracay Island, the Atis in Boracay lived on wild root crops and fruits and vegetables that grew on the island. From what the Mission gathered from the current elders, they can only trace back three generations of Atis living on the island. This information is significant to document the history of Boracay. The Atis who used to roam the lands freely have now become beggars in their own land. The history of the name “Boracay” has several versions. One version claims that it came from the Inati (the Ati language) word “Borac” meaning, meaning cotton referring to the color and texture of the sands. Another version claims that it came from the Inati words “Bora,” meaning bubbles, and “Bocay” meaning white, again referring to the white sand beaches.
Later on in the 70s, tourists began to be lured to the beauty of the island. The pure white powdery sands that cover the infamous 4-km stretch of the White Beach, the palm fringed white powdery sand beaches and coves, the mangrove systems, the trees that covered most parts of the island, the flying foxes and the vast marine life of turtles, dolphins, mantas, small sharks and other diverse species of marine life, comprised the ecological make up of the island that made it most promising in attracting foreign tourists. One of the currently protected species that the government has taken notice of are the Flying Fruit Bats, known to be seed dispersers that contribute to the degeneration of the island’s forest.
But years of political indecision as to who is in charge, or who shall control and manage the development on the island, have advanced the private interests of businessmen and tourism industry players who took the opportunity to their full advantage. This led to the proliferation of developments that did not necessarily comply with tourism standards that were set by various legal mandates, directives and local regulations. Implementation was piecemeal as these policy documents were never integrated into a single mandate for all agencies and groups involved.
Boracay Island is currently carrying about 8,000 room accommodations, about 300 resorts ranging from hostel-type to 5-star luxury accommodations and 500 restaurants, and a hundred different establishments ranging from retail, transport and communication services, educational institutions, medical facilities, retail stores, supermarkets, repair shops, construction and property development companies, and many other services and establishments, catering to both tourists and local hospitality service providers (such as resort staff) as well as expatriate residents. Most of these tourism developments are concentrated in the area of Barangay Balabag, the barangay with the smallest land area of 274 hectares comprising 27.2% of the island.29 Barangay Balabag is where most of the famous 4-km stretch of White Beach is located.
The residents back in the 70s were mostly the original dwellers such as the Atis and some locals from the Panay mainland who established homes and families, who catered mostly to the modest needs of the travelers who came to visit. In the 80s, an influx of tourists was experienced by the island. Aiming to please the more discriminating tourists, establishments decided to improve their standards by bringing in the comforts of an urbanized tourist destination. Without consideration to the impacts of profit-driven tourism activities on the environment, the industry players continued to entice mass tourism. With it came the increase in migrants from various parts of the country – who were originally hired construction workers and eventually their immediate families – and later on from various parts of the world. Currently, the estimated (unofficial) number of residents on the island is 25,000.30

Piecemeal policies and lack of integrated planning became a problem. The apparently conflicting legal mandates of various units and agencies of government became a major source of confusion on who is tasked to manage the developments in Boracay Island. By the late 90s and early years of the new millennium, reports of coastal and marine degradation have been circulating. However, no public data has been presented by any government agency on these concerns. News reports and scientific studies have been the only public sources of information on the environmental state of the island. So-called “Band-Aid” solutions have been implemented to address the problems. An improved water and sewage system that had cost millions to complete is not taken seriously by some stakeholders who refuse to pay the price for this development. According to one local newspaper article, local businesses which depend on tourism have to “realise that if resort owners want to keep attracting tourists, then they should pay the price of keeping the ecological balance of the island.”

Everyone in Boracay wants a piece of it, but no one wants responsibility over it. That is pretty much the story of the island. Now, even the social demographics have changed considerably. From a pristine and serene beach destination that has been hailed as one of the best by various international travel and tourism groups and publications with vibrant marine life it could boast of, it is now a mass tourism destination known to the young travelers as a the best white sand beach party destination.

It is obvious that the people of the Island, both from the public and the private sectors, were not prepared for the rapid urban and mass tourism development. The island’s resources were not managed properly. Manifesting in the degradation of the island’s natural resources and its natural ecosystem which various scientific groups have already studied and researched on, the relentless growth of tourism operations on the island is taking its toll on the environment. Even nature cannot stop these inexorable business operations.

What could have been kept as an island nature trip became a destination marred by concrete structures, obstinate beach vendors, inconsiderate transport operators – all year round. But all is not lost.

Alternative Options for Boracay Island

In 1986, the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development studied the dynamics of global environmental degradation and made recommendations to ensure the long-term viability of human society. The Commission’s report in 1987 popularized the term “sustainable development”, which was defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Consequently, the term sustainable tourism development was coined, which was defined as “tourism development that leads to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled, while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems.” Four core elements of sustainability have been identified: economic, social, environmental and institutional sustainability. From the review of literature, tourism is said to be sustainable if it:

· Is economically viable
· Promotes conservation of natural resources
· Supports preservation of local culture
· Takes a long-term perspective and is concerned with the well-being of future generations
· Promotes equity, which means sharing the benefits and risks of tourism
· Engages multi-stakeholder participation in decision-making and management
· Promotes cooperation and partnerships
· Promotes responsibility and accountability in behavior and relationships
· Is marketed responsibly
· Is integrated into planning
· Upholds respect for others
· Emphasizes the importance of education, research, and capability building.

Destinations—whether cities, towns, islands, etc.—are products that are marketed for tourists to visit. Destinations have a lifecycle. A widely-accepted model of the lifecycle of a tourist destination had been developed. A destination begins relatively unknown and visitors initially come in small numbers restricted by lack of access, facilities and local knowledge, which is labeled as Exploration. As more people discover the destination, the word spreads about its attractions and the amenities are increased and improved, labeled as Development. Tourist arrivals then begin to grow rapidly toward some theoretical carrying capacity, labeled as Stagnation, which involves social and environmental limits. The rise from Exploration to Stagnation often happens very rapidly.

However, there are subsets of possible outcomes beyond Stagnation. Examples of things that could cause a destination to follow trajectories A and B toward Rejuvenation are technological developments or infrastructure improvements leading to increased carrying capacity. Examples of things that could cause a destination to follow trajectories C and D are increased congestion and unsustainable development, causing the resources that originally drew visitors to the destination to become corrupted, or no longer existing. The trajectory E usually happens after a disaster or a crisis.

Where is Boracay at this point?
Based on the number of visitors coming to the island, it has reached Stagnation. From 1990 to 2005, the increase in tourist arrivals has more than doubled. Beginning 2005, the numbers have steadily increased, but the percentage of the increase has constantly declined. The continuing marketing activities promoting the island are now geared towards a new tourist market – mostly group tourists who prefer modern tourism services and facilities. The days when independent and nature-loving (mostly European) backpackers would be hanging out on the beach quietly reading a book or sunbathing without any distraction, have been replaced by tourists walking around in groups of ten or more with a tour guide explaining to them the goods being sold at the open-air mall area, the famous restaurants at the center of the main beach, the many sailboats and motorized boats crowding the shores, the overzealous men on the beach who sell sunglasses, pearls, hats, adventure sea- and land-sports activities.

Further, the increase in tourist arrivals does not reflect on local income. Although the Department of Tourism registered an 11 billion peso gross receipts from Boracay tourists in 2009, the local businesses have not benefitted significantly, according to the business owners. Also, from 11,000 residents to 25,000 in a span of less than 5 years, the island’s capacity to maintain quality social and health services has also declined. This is a manifestation that the island has reached its capacity threshold – both in economic and social terms.

However, following the lifecycle of a tourist destination, Boracay is hopefully moving towards where trajectories A and B are – leading to Rejuvenation. With improved infrastructure and more controlled and monitored developments on the island, the possibility of rejuvenation becomes greater. New buildings and new property developments are still ongoing. Infrastructure developments are underway. Expansion of road networks, enhanced water pipeline systems, improvement of the sewage treatment facility and service, are some of the ongoing infrastructure activities on the island. For social services, there is a proposal to build a world class hospital with a well equipped trauma center and well trained emergency response teams. A second-point of entry – a jetty port – is underway to ease the vehicular traffic on the main road and establishing an alternative entry point to ensure safety during the rainy season. All these services, except for road expansion, are spearheaded by the private sector, corporations and private stakeholders based on the island.
It is at this point of the so-called Rejuvenation stage that Boracay can instill the principles of sustainable tourism development.

Is eco-tourism a future option for the island?

“Philippine society is largely maintained by the astute manipulation of strategic ties along the basis of kinship, locality or personal connection.” In a culture of conflicting interests, with a government characterized by personalism, individuals engage in practical tactics for success. In Boracay, “socially responsible” civil society groups themselves are often members of the local elite. Despite being underpinned by strong personal religious values, Philippine society is often controlled by a powerful elite that furthers its interests – which may run contrary to environmental and social interests. This scenario is actually a stumbling block for a movement to bring Boracay back to its original state.

As an ecological experiment that went wrong, Boracay Island became a victim of rapid, unplanned and ungoverned mass tourism development taking toll on its environment. In 1997, a study on the carrying capacity of Boracay has been conducted.46 By establishing technical capacity numbers and answering the question of “How much is too much?”, it was the intention of the study to focus growth management issues in a way that would help address the more relevant question of “How much and what kind of change is acceptable on Boracay?” The findings of the analysis show that 40% of the 16 indicators47 were found to have exceeded the island’s carrying capacity.

Using the physical parameter, three indicators (ground water quality, sewage and solid waste) exceeded the island’s carrying capacity, while two indicators (ground water quantity and marine water quality) were unsustainable. At present, these indicators have expanded through the infrastructure projects that address the issues. Water is now tapped from the mainland source (Nabaoy River in Malay). Sewage treatment is now being run by a private company that targets to complete rehabilitation of the sewage plant by end of this year or early next year. Solid waste is being addressed by the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in each barangay on the island. Although the land indicator has not exceeded its carrying capacity, the findings showed that it is not an expandable resource. The same with the beaches, where the parameter used is tourist perception on beach overcrowding.

The trend of change seems to be the expansion and upgrade of infrastructure to accommodate more of the tourists’ and residents’ needs. The acknowledgement of the damage to the immediate environment of Boracay caused by lack of planning and governance has created an opening for more sustainable tourism development plans and projects that will minimize if not avoid adverse impact to the ecological balance.
To answer the question, is eco-tourism a future option for the island? The answer is yes, for sure. However, this brings the discussion on the more sustainable approach to rehabilitating the island without completely stopping tourist arrivals and infrastructure developments.

Proposed Solutions

The problem with the Boracay case is not the lack of policy or clear standards under the laws. Policy basis goes back to the 70s presidential proclamations which already laid down the basic requirements for ensuring sustainability in the tourist zones such as Boracay Island. Without these proclamations being overturned (in fact, it was recently reaffirmed in 2008 when the President instructed the PTA to suspend building permits, respecting the local government units’ power to approve and implement the same) , the policy statements remain good law.

The identifiable successes in the aspect of governance on Boracay Island are the initiatives taken by the national government and the local stakeholders from the private sector to address some issues.

National government initiative

The Philippine Tourism Act of 2009 is a significant document. Tourism in the Philippines is considered an indispensable element of the national economy and an industry of national interest and importance, with sustainable tourism development as an integral component of national socioeconomic development. The establishment of Tourism Economic Zones on Boracay Island can alleviate the burden of control and management of an overdeveloped island.

Local government initiative

The practical approach would be for local governments to create an implementation mechanism of the national policies laid down for sustainable development of tourism zones and areas. A new law and a new plan are not necessary. The Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Boracay Island completed in 2008 already serves as a template for planning for the establishment of enforcement and implementation systems. The ordinances declaring marine protected areas in the seas around the island have already established the ground rules in limiting activities that are detrimental to the marine environment. Despite the clear mandate, the stumbling block has always been the lack of political will to enforce.

The CLUP was initiated by the Department of Tourism to come up with a single plan for everyone to follow. The delineation of areas for a residential, commercial, tourism and no-build zones based on the Proclamation 1064 by the President is a very important component. A product of workshops conducted early this year among stakeholders of the island, the CLUP defines strategic and specific measures on population management, education, health, housing, social welfare, protection and sports and recreation. The plan will serve as a blueprint for the development and management of Boracay in the next 15 years. The Boracay Environmental Master Plan would further cover other environmental issues such as flooding, air and water pollution, wetland use and other physical aspects of development. The Plan encourages all concerned stakeholders to share their respective expertise and resources under the schemes of public-private partnership, public-public partnership, joint-ventures and collaborative undertakings.

Local governance includes private sector initiatives. By incorporating the CLUP into its program of action, the private sector has the potential to establish an industry initiative for sustainable tourism. Solutions to adverse tourism impacts can be found in shared interest of local communities, tourism business, and tourism consumers to maintain the natural wealth and social heritage of a destination, such as Boracay Island. Dialogue must generate reciprocal accountability among these parties with regard to future investments, practices and policies, such as the Zoning Ordinance from the CLUP; that is, reciprocal
between individual/private interests and social/public interests. While both CLUP and BBMP address the land use and coastal management concerns, respectively, it is important to see the value of a common agenda for local tourism development. Any plans of action that will be a consequence of both programs should focus on achieving sustainable tourism on the island.

Although local governance is key in ensuring sustainable tourism development on Boracay Island, the national government, through the PTA and the DOT, and the provincial government of Aklan, are mandated by law to provide technical assistance to the municipality of Malay, where necessary. As Boracay Island is of great national value for the country, its development needs an integrated approach to addressing the issues and achieving sustainable development. A tourism resource management that is broad-based, transparent, participatory, and responsive to environmental concerns and sustainability is needed to solve the environmental problems in Boracay. Currently, the Eminent Persons Group- Boracay under the newly-named Tourism Enterprise and Infrastructure Zone Authority, formerly the PTA, under E.O. 377 of 2004, is providing that avenue for dialogue between the private sector and the local government units.

Private Sector Initiatives

The tourism development plans of the national government encourage the participation of the private sector in initiating programs. The Tourism Act of 2009 states that the government shall “strengthen the role of tourism councils and encourage the participation of nongovernment organizations, peoples’ organizations and the private sector in initiating programs for tourism development and environmental protection. This is manifest in the composition of the Eminent Persons Group-Boracay under its mandate.

A private sector initiative for the enhancement of the coastal and marine resources of the island is known as the Boracay Beach Management Plan (BBMP). This project is a partnership among the various stakeholders, private sector and local government, as well as the community of fishermen and local residents.
Priority programs focus on environmental management, governance and information campaigns. The partnership efforts are also in line with current developments on the island. For example, the water and waste water management component is already being undertaken by a private company that has a concession for 25 years with the national government through the Philippine Tourism Authority approved in 2009. The solid waste management component is coordinating with the Barangays on the island which have their materials recovery facilities in place. Improvements and enhancements in technology are also underway for these facilities, through the BBMP.

While implementing the specific plans of each priority components of the BBMP, the integration of the existing laws on declared marine protected areas, for instance, is an important element in rejuvenating the marine life around Boracay Island, and re-establish the marine areas and mangrove forests as eco-tourism destinations.

Another private sector plan is a project called “The Boracay Initiative” . This is a program that attempts to gather comprehensive data – through data-gathering and collection, and to document existing tourism activities and projects that impact the environment and the social order of Boracay Island. The main objective is to provide sustainable monitoring of government and private sector projects on the island, and to instill among the tourism industry players on the island the personal responsibility to contribute to sustaining an environmentally and socially viable enterprise. The project is initiated by individuals who have the passion to protect and promote the environmental future of the island, both as a tourist destination and a residential area for responsible citizens. Through volunteer programs, the project seeks to gather the technical and scientific data on the environment and socio-economic demographics existing on the island. Eventually, the continuing data collection and monitoring will assist the local government in enforcing the implementation plans (such as the CLUP’s Zoning Ordinance) for sustainable tourism for Boracay Island, including the active promotion of eco-tourism development in mainland Malay. For the national government, the project aims to provide basis and proposals for policy changes to national tourism plans for the island and for the municipality of Malay, including the promotion of the IP rights over their ancestral land.

The realization that the huge environmental and socio-economic impact of rapid mass tourism development on Boracay Island, has triggered the members of the private sector – albeit including the local elite – to slowly gather the momentum to control and regulate development on the island. The diverse culture that is evolving on the island – being composed of businessmen who are not Filipinos, particularly advocating for more sustainable and ecologically viable tourism programs – is a significant factor in facilitating the advocacy for a change in tourism policy and governance.

Nature will have a way of curing itself in any case, but the community on Boracay Island is becoming more aware of the environmental impact of development and is taking advantage of new opportunities to ensure sustainable tourism for the Island and its people. The various projects and programs that are ongoing to increase awareness and to effectively address the major environmental and social issues confronting the island and its neighboring islands need only to come into an integrated plan together with the national and local government officials, to determine the direction that the tourism development should take.

Near-Future Potentials of Boracay Island

Back to Nature. Properly managing the marine protected areas (marine parks) and the rehabilitation of the mangrove systems on the island are initiatives that pave the way for re-establishing Boracay Island as an eco-tourism destination, with responsible tourism industry players initiating the move towards a sustainable development through the support of integrated laws and policies.

Moreover, with technical and staff support for the local government units, the development and promotion of the mainland Malay with its existing eco-tourism sites, is an expansion of the goal for an eco-tourism destination that promotes sustainable development. Currently, there are identified community-based ecotourism sites that have been established in mainland Malay. These are: the Malay Ecological Garden, Dalamuan Falls, Agnaga Falls and Cold Spring, Nabaoy River, and Naasug Limestone Cliffs, which are all community-based enterprises.

Large-scale sustainable tourism development over small-scale overdevelopment. One of the problems faced by the island is overdevelopment. Not because big industry players are overdeveloping the island, but because the smaller industry players are maximizing resources, space and potentials in a small area of development.

The CLUP has based its zoning on the identified 40% of the island as forest land that needs protection, under the FLAgT provisions. Some of these are foreshore areas. The current concentration of businesses and residences are in Barangay Balabag, where two of its longer and more developed beaches are.
Although the government land survey is not yet completed, it is already apparent that many of the businesses set up along these beaches are on forest land. Under the CLUP, the developments in the Balabag area shall be exclusively for tourism purposes. The areas in the southern tip shall be made residential areas. Finally, the one in the northern tip of the island are for high-end tourism developments. The Yapak development appears to be the direction for the future of Boracay.
Although the more popular criteria for sustainable development revolve upon the concept of “small is beautiful”, the trend is to focus more on what is more sustainable in terms of efficiency and monitoring capabilities to lessen or mitigate impact of tourism activities within an area. While small-scale developments are more favored by advocates of sustainable tourism, the Boracay experience has shown that in aggregate, a number of small-scale developments had more damaging power to the island. In fact, what has happened is that the small developments have not been experiencing a favored climate given the influx of the group tourists on the island in the recent years.
However, before any further critical development is conducted on the island, the governance mechanisms must be in place, and the stakeholders are prepared to address the long-term impact of such developments. In the end, efficiency, carrying capacity, and more importantly for Boracay, the integrated planning and management are the keys to sustainable tourism development.

Conclusion

The adverse effects of unplanned mass tourism development – with the factor of small-scale overdevelopment – have been plaguing the stakeholders of Boracay Island. Mismanagement, lack of political will, conflicting personal business interests, politicking among the stakeholders, and the complacency of the residents and local communities are among the main causes of the decline of Boracay Island from what used to be a nature-destination and became an island metropolis that resembles a mini urbanized city. This experience is not unique to Boracay. But if one studies the laws and the policies that have been set in place to regulate activities and to mitigate impacts of development, Boracay would have been a very good example of a sustainable tourism success story. Sadly, this is not the case.

The Tourism Act of 2009 that governs the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Authority and the Tourism Enterprise Zones, the Proclamation 1064 vis-à-vis the Guidelines for the Forest Land Use Agreement for Tourism Purposes, the Boracay Environmental Master Plan, the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the local ordinances declaring Marine Parks, and the rules and regulations being implemented by the various enforcement groups on Boracay Island should be integrated before any implementation mechanisms are drafted. The sophisticated legal structures and mandates that have always supported sustainable development on the island since the late 70s have the potential to create further confusion that may ultimately lead to non-implementation of the policies that should have been fundamental in the protection and preservation of Boracay Island.

The awareness and the realization by those who have allowed the overdevelopment and mismanagement of the island of the grave implications of such have triggered some action and community support to confront the problem that the Island and its people are facing. Personal differences and political maneuverings are still playing big roles in journey towards change. But it is through proactive management and initiatives of the private sector, providing the proficiency in the tourism industry to the relatively young and less tourism-oriented local government of Malay, and the integration of the national laws and policies and local governance tools that Boracay Island can maintain and enhance its environment for the tourism industry and for the future generations to enjoy.

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