The assessment team sent by the Bohol provincial government has recommended the total ban on hog-raising in Balicasag Island and implement solid waste management and composting before leachate can ruin the fragile marine ecosystems that attract tourists to the island. (PIA Bohol)
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — A joint inter-agency and multi-sectoral team has recommended the total ban on backyard hog-raising and implement zero waste policy on Balicasag Island by forcing tourists to bring their trash back to the mainland.
The team is also recommending the implementation of domestic waste segregation, composting and collection policy on the island.
Years back, the provincial government and the municipal government of Panglao, along with national government agencies and tourism stakeholders, had organized an ocular inspection on Balicasag Island.
Complaints of foul odor pervading some areas frequented by tourists prompted authorities to do inspections.
During their site assessment and verification on the source of the foul odor, the team found that there are households engaged in backyard hog-raising without proper waste disposal and sanitation, resulting in the smell being carried to tourist destination areas.
Located around 10 kilometers from the Poblacion of Panglao Island, Balicasag Island has a diameter of around 600 meters with an estimated population of 800. It also has a day care center, an elementary school, a health center and a government dive facility.
The island currently has two waste containment areas for domestic garbage. But the residents are not strictly practicing proper composting and waste segregation, and there is no regular waste collection for disposal to the mainland.
The island has become a favorite tourism inter-island destination due to its world-class dive and snorkeling sites, teeming marine life, dolphin and whale watching tours, uninhabited islets and sand bars, and an existing sea transport.
Although declared a naval reservation, the habit of fishermen beaching their boats for mid-day rest while fishing has motivated people to build resting sheds, which over time, have become residences.
Residents have refused to leave the island after they have benefited from earning a livelihood through the island’s tourism sector.
Lawyer Lucas Nunag, provincial tourism council chairperson, said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is assisting the local government in addressing this issue.
“PCG has agreed with the community on the moratorium on the increase of the population of its present number of households, if only to contain the problem,” said Nunang.
The island hosts a PCG substation and a Philippine Navy substation.
The team also noted that with the presence of tourists, food service facilities, including carinderias and ambulant vendors, dispose of their food waste in shallow sand pits, while the irregular garbage collection has forced people to simply burn their garbage.
“This will ruin Bohol’s image as a responsible and sustainable tourism destination and this threatens our geopark’s status. We have to take care of our environment and our image,” said Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office head Jovencia Ganub.
The team recommended proper waste segregation and disposal, proper composting techniques, regular clean ups and regular garbage collection.
They are also pushing for the establishment of a materials recovery facility to cater to waste materials from carinderias, food stalls, and households and the refurbishment of the waste water treatment facility on the island.
The team is composed of the Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-CENRO, Environment Management Bureau of the Provincial Environment and Management Unit, Local Government Unit of Panglao and tourism stakeholders. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)
