Philippine Department of Tourism participates in Boracay health and sanitation campaign
Posted by on March 26, 2008
MANILA, March 24 (PNA) — The Department of Tourism (DoT) has counted itself in making Boracay cleaner and safer for tourists with its continued participation in programs to help address dengue and residual waste in the world-class resort.
“The department is grateful for the zeal of the private sector and the local government of Boracay in upholding the integrity of the island as one of the country’s top tourist destinations,” Tourism Sec. Joseph Ace Durano said.
Durano said the DoT’s efforts in the island complement the goals of the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“The DOT saw it fit to help them take the initiative, as the tourism sector claims a huge share of the livelihood and economic activity in the island,” he added.
The department is working with the Rotary Club of Boracay and the island’s three barangays in promoting healthy habits that help lessen the occurrence of dengue.
It provided a P 1.75 million grant to fund for the training of local health advocates that will assist and educate residents on the disease, as well as jumpstart information campaigns in schools and other establishments.
It will also be used to purchase ovi traps which detect adult mosquitoes and their eggs, fish seedlings, mosquito catchers and non-hazardous sprays to help abate the proliferation of dengue mosquito larvae.
The DoT has partnered with the Boracay Chamber of Commerce and the Central Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) of Boracay for the residual waste management project.
Also, the department will be endorsing a P 1.85 million fund to help acquire equipment to handle residual waste and for making hollow blocks out of recyclable materials, train MRF workers on the proper use of the technology and to spread information on proper waste disposal among island dwellers.
The residual waste management project is part of the municipality’s 10-year solid waste management plan, which aims to lessen the amount of garbage transferred from Boracay to the mainland of Malay. (PNA)
Excuse me, but why is the Rotary Club putting up this grant money? What happened to all those record-breaking millions collected in environmental fees on Boracay? They were fired up about collecting that money so bad that it was still collected illegially after Manila said to stop – but 370 million pesos is now gone?
The government has to beg for money from Rotary?