My first visit to Boracay was 20 years ago. The island was pristine. The shoreline was perfect and the mood was tranquil. There were no electricity and tap water. It was the ideal, quiet get-away. It was Paradise Found.
Now, roll in a few decades and loads of commercialization, it has become vastly different. There are over 300 resorts, hundreds of restaurants, cafes, boutiques, spas and other business establishments vying for island space and tourist attention. And if you ask me when I would rather go... I'd say now. It's infinitely more convenient, very comfortable, and way more exciting!
However, 10 to 20 years down the road, if it continues to grow this way, without proper control and restrictions, it may all go to waste. Paradise Lost?
It is not just the local government, but the people themselves, who should organize to protect the area where their livelihood and delight come from. Some of the effects of commercialization are irreversible, but at this point, the wrong could still be made right. For one, it would be good for the Boracay public to have another Bayani Fernando in the area, to clean up the island from signs and obstructions along the beach front.
If we are really serious about saving the isalnd, we could follow the examples set in Carmel by the Sea, a coastal town in California, where Clint Eastwood used to be mayor. They restricted the kind of shop signs used for commercial establishments. Plastic back-lit signs were dis-allowed. This gave opportunity for more creative signage with their own individuality. It really is not about restricting but leveling the playing field in order to create more and better options. Alternative materials for signs include: wood, stone, metal, plaster, among others. Those “named” establishments with "standard" signs made from "standard" materials should not be allowed to pull weight and mar the whole effect. If they really want to do business in the area, they can and should by all means adjust to the requirements of their host-island. This has been done in Vigan and Rome where McDonalds stores have adjusted their signages to conform to local regulations. If this basic matter is not controlled now, we may get to the point where stores will compete over which sign is the brightest and biggest, turning the ambiance from quaint to loud. Once restricted, all shops are on equal footing and compete through creativity and not by size or wattage.
Another good example of area restrictions is Lake Tahoe in Nevada, where the use of land and its proper zoning are properly enforced. Land use, building sizes, and capacity are restricted to ensure ecological balance. In Boracay, the big business players are now coming in. It is the right time to enforce such rules. The local government has been studying the upgrade of utilities in the area. Power and water suppy have been established, although some outages still occur during peak season. However, the sewerage and waste management system cannot cope with the existing development. The red warning line has been exceeded and alarm bells must be sounding off. Sewerage treatment plants (STP) must be put in place or upgraded to service the existing small resorts. The current environmental law requiring new developments to have their own STPs must be enforced and monitored. The maintenance of ecological balance directly depends on this. Already the previous disinterest in proper sewerage disposal has come to haunt the island through the ecoli scare, the dirty open canals, the profusion of seaweed and debris on the shore. More than anything else, this concern must be addressed immediately!
There are a lot of interesting architectural designs on the island. Unfortunately, I have yet to see one that has a genuine Filipino character. As Archt. Bobby Manoza would put it, ‘which makes one wonder if there really is one’. I have yet to see Ivatan-style houses or well-designed bahay kubos. It would attract more tourists, you know.
Today, I can see Boracay facing some of the initial mistakes Bali and Pukhet did, such as the rapid commercialization and problems in waste management. But, those resort islands can afford to make those mistakes because those are big islands. They have other areas where they can atone for their ecological sins. Boracay, however, is less than one percent the size of Bali. We cannot afford to wait and do nothing and allow one of the best beaches in the world to go to waste. We have our little bit of paradise right here. Let us work to keep it a paradise, a Paradise Forever.
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