Boracay Island, like other tourism paradise in Asia, has overdeveloped at the expense of the environment. President Rodrigo Duterte aptly described it as a cesspool that would soon ruin its pristine beaches and the marine eco-systems thriving around the island.
Boracay’s environmental neglect is not an isolated case in Asia. Equally famous beach destinations in Thailand and Indonesia are suffering the same fate after unchecked tourism resulted in environmental degradation, most notably water pollution caused by untreated waste water being discharged by commercial establishments into the open sea.
Thai authorities are shutting down Maya Bay on the western island of Koh Phi Phi Ley in Thailand from June to September this year in an attempt to save its severely damaged coral reefs. The Thai resort area is overwhelmed daily by about 4,000 tourists, cramped along a short beach stretch.
Indonesian authorities, meanwhile, declared in 2017 a “garbage emergency” covering a six-kilometer coast along the world-famous Bali Island. Coastal pollution in Bali is severe, with plastic bags and trash floating just a few kilometers from the beach area.
Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province and Coron Bay in Palawan are similarly reeling from water pollution after decades of unbridled tourism. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources as early as 2016 designated Sabang Bay in Puerto Galera and the Coron Bay as water quality management areas to protect the bustling biodiversity within the two water bodies from the unwanted effects of tourism activities. Sabang Bay and Coron Bay are world-class diving sites with great visibility and masses of underwater life, making them favorite destinations for tourists and diving enthusiasts.
The development of famous tourism destinations like Boracay, Puerto Galera and Coron must be strictly regulated by environment officials to make the tourism industry sustainable. Authorities must see to it that preservation of the marine environment and the coastal areas take priority over commercial establishments and tourism earnings.
